Hundreds from Russian-occupied Oleshky land in Belarus en route to Ukraine — SkimNews
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- Gomel received four planes carrying Oleshky evacuees on Saturday, and Belarusian state media reported that rescue workers, medical teams and Red Cross volunteers met the group.
- Ukrainian parliament member David Arakhamia said the evacuees were due to be transported into Ukrainian territory “within hours” after arriving in Gomel.
- Oleshky residents began leaving in bus convoys Friday under a rare regional truce expected to continue through Sunday; the city has suffered major food and medicine shortages after years of fighting.
- Melania Trump posted Friday that the humanitarian convoy could safely evacuate more than 750 people; the White House said she helped broker the truce, while Russia and Ukraine had not specified how many people chose to leave.
- An estimated 2,000 Oleshky residents were offered travel to Ukrainian- or Russian-held territory, or the chance to remain with replenished food and medical supplies.
- Yana Lantratova, Russia's ombudswoman and lead representative on the mission, said buses also carried Oleshky residents who wanted to live in Russia.
- Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, pressed Russian and Ukrainian leaders to allow aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
Why it matters: For Oleshky's estimated 2,000 residents, the truce made the humanitarian choice concrete: travel to Ukrainian- or Russian-held territory, or remain with replenished food and medicine. Hundreds reached Gomel and were due onward in Ukraine within hours, while other evacuees chose to live in Russia.
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