Hundreds of Starving Ukrainians Escape Occupied Oleshky in Rare Ceasefire Deal
Hundreds of civilians flee Russian-occupied Oleshky via a rare ceasefire. Survivors report eating grass to survive as they return to Ukrainian territory.
POLICY WIRE — Oleshky, Ukraine — Hundreds of exhausted and malnourished civilians described their departure from Russian-occupied territory as escaping from hell as they returned to safety on Saturday.
The mass evacuation from the town of Oleshky occurred under a rare localized ceasefire agreement designed to prevent widespread starvation among residents living on the southern frontline.
The physical toll of the occupation was evident, with one elderly man traveling in a wheelchair reported losing 20 kg over the last year, leaving him so frail he required urgent medical intervention.
Svitlana Yermakova shared that residents were forced to consume grass and squash simply to survive when food supplies were completely severed.
Yermakova recounted the danger of riding a bicycle through active minefields to reach a neighboring village seeking food for herself and her dog, Manila.
The group of returnees spanned all generations, including a 94-year-old resident and an infant just over one year of age.
Emotional reunions unfolded as the bus arrived, where one elderly woman was tearfully embraced by a person draped in the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag.
This rescue mission represents the most significant humanitarian pause between Kyiv and Moscow since the invasion began over four years ago.
The complex rescue route involved traveling by bus through Crimea to the Russian city of Anapa, then flying to Belarus before finally entering Ukraine.
Footage from the Ukrainian ombudsman captured numerous elderly residents disembarking from a plane at a Belarusian airfield, many requiring stretchers or physical assistance to move.
Upon arrival in northern Ukraine, organizations including the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and World Central Kitchen established heated shelters, food centers, and veterinary care for pets.
Family members gathered at the border, hoping to spot loved ones they had been separated from for several years.
19-year-old Liza Paliy waited for her father, whom she had not seen in over thirty months after she fled the Kherson region early in the conflict while he stayed to protect their home.
Paliy noted that her family originally expected the separation to last only a few weeks, but more than two years have passed instead.
Daria Pavlyn also sought her father, Mykhailo, with whom she lost contact a month ago after an artillery strike killed their neighbors.
Pavlyn explained that her father stayed behind when plans to maintain their property fell apart, fearing he could not travel without the proper Russian occupation documentation.
Due to high operational security requirements, Ukrainian authorities have not released the total number of evacuees or the specific location of the border crossing.
Kyiv officials stated the information blackout is vital to protect those remaining in Oleshky and to ensure the safety of future humanitarian corridors.
Melania Trump previously indicated on social media that the operation aimed to safely extract more than 750 individuals, though the final count remains unverified.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
