Russia and Ukraine initiate joint humanitarian evacuation in Oleshky

Russia and Ukraine began their first joint relief operation on Friday, evacuating civilians from the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region. The operation follows a local ceasefire brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, which took effect on Tuesday and expanded across the wider Kherson front. Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova and her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Lubinets, are overseeing the process, marking a rare instance of high-level coordination between the two nations.

Approximately 2,000 residents, including 50 children, have been stranded in Oleshky since the Russian occupation began in April 2022. The town has faced severe shortages of food, medicine, and utilities, with reports of deteriorating living conditions and inaccessible escape routes due to mines and drones. Volunteers are utilizing 25 buses to transport residents to their choice of Russia or Ukraine, with medical support provided for the elderly and infirm. This ceasefire is noted as the most extensive and longest-lasting agreement since 2022, providing a humanitarian corridor for those desperate to escape the decimated municipality.