Hundreds flee years of hardship in occupied Oleshky through ceasefire window
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
New accounts from evacuees describe residents in Russian-occupied Oleshky risking mines to find food, with some people surviving on cooked garden weeds. Hundreds have now reached northern Ukraine after a brief ceasefire enabled them to leave, but many others remain in the isolated city.
Oleshky was seized by Russian forces in February 2022 and is surrounded by the Dnipro River and Russian-held territory; shelling and drone attacks made escape dangerous. Up to 6,000 people, including 200 children, were believed to remain in the city and surrounding area. A four-hour evacuation window on Friday provided 25 buses for up to 750 people, some of whom arrived weak or on stretchers, while others were reunited with relatives; they now face finding homes and work.
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In short
- Residents describe severe shortages and dangerous efforts to find food.
- A ceasefire window enabled hundreds to leave Oleshky.
- Thousands may still be in the occupied city and nearby areas.
How this story developed
- 33 minutes ago Hundreds of people evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky arrived in northern Ukraine after years of shelling, shortages and danger. The city’s isolation and mined escape routes had made leaving perilous, while residents feared the journey could expose them to further attacks.
- 36 minutes ago New accounts from evacuees describe residents in Russian-occupied Oleshky risking mines to find food, with some people surviving on cooked garden weeds. Hundreds have now reached northern Ukraine after a brief ceasefire enabled them to leave, but many others remain in the isolated city.
Where outlets differ
Centre outlets 1
Only here: hundreds, flee, hardship, window
Right-leaning outlets 1
Only here: tears, ukrainians, evacuated, russian, finally
Every side used: occupied, oleshky, ceasefire
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Explained simply
Oleshky is a city in Ukraine’s Kherson region, on the east bank of the Dnipro River. Russian forces have occupied it since 2022, and fighting in the wider region has left communities exposed to shelling, shortages and damaged services.
The area is divided by the river, with Ukrainian-held territory on the opposite bank. Mines and the risk of attack have made travel out of occupied areas dangerous, while access to food, healthcare and other essentials has been difficult for residents.
The people who leave must start again in places where they may have no home, job or nearby family. Those still in Oleshky and surrounding areas face continued hardship, and the scale of any further evacuations depends on whether safe routes can be arranged.
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Originally published by BBC World as “‘We came back from hell’, say Ukrainians after years in Russia-occupied frontline city”.