In brief
A six‑day ceasefire mediated by the first lady and the Pope allowed residents of Oleshky to cross into Ukrainian territory, where they were welcomed, reunited with relatives, and given medical care. Despite the aid, many still face food shortages and some chose to remain behind.
A six‑day ceasefire ending constant fighting in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, brokered with help from U.S. First Lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV, allowed residents to cross into Ukrainian territory where they were reunited with family members and received humanitarian assistance.
The truce, described by Al Jazeera as the longest local pause in hostilities since 2022, opened a corridor that ran from Oleshky into the Chernihiv region of Ukraine. Evacuees, who had been living in desperate conditions, stepped off buses at the Ukrainian‑Belarusian border, wrapped in blue and yellow Ukrainian flags, and were met by officials carrying posters that read “You’re not alone” and “We embrace with our hearts.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted the news on X, thanking the United States and the first lady for mediating the pause: “Ukrainian citizens from Oleshky have crossed the Ukrainian border in the Chernihiv region. All of them will receive the assistance they need,” he wrote. “Further steps toward de‑escalation and real progress toward peace are also needed,” he added.
Many evacuees had endured extreme hardships before the truce. Supply routes had been cut by fighting and drone attacks, forcing residents to harvest grass from fields as a last resort. One elderly man in a wheelchair told Reuters that he had lost 20 kg (44 lbs) over the past year and was now weak enough to require hospital treatment. Svitlana Yermakova echoed these accounts, saying she had “chopped grass and squash… just to hold on,” and risked riding a bicycle through mine‑fields to a nearby village to secure food for herself and her dog.
To reach Ukrainian‑held territory, the evacuees staged a complex journey. They first ferried across Crimea to the Russian port of Anapa, then flew to Belarus, and finally crossed into Ukraine from there. Ambulances lined the streets and large military tents were erected, where hot meals, tea and medical aid were provided. The route, ending at a highway where residents from nearby villages lined the road waving flags and flashlights, underscored how far people had travelled to escape starvation.
Russian and Ukrainian authorities confirmed that the ceasefire had held since Tuesday, giving the teams enough time to de‑mine roads and resume the flow of food, medicine, and other supplies into Oleshky. Despite the relief, many families noted that the truce’s duration is uncertain and that conditions in Oleshky remain precarious.
Some evacuees intentionally chose to remain in the town, citing ongoing shortages or emotional ties to their homes. The number of those who stayed and the reasons behind their decisions have not yet been fully documented.
While the humanitarian pause has allowed families to reunite and promised continued aid, the long‑term sustainability of the ceasefire is still unknown. The war’s broader context, with the latest pause documented as the longest since Russia’s full-scale invasion, leaves questions about how many more truce periods will follow, how future supply routes will be secured, and whether the conditions that forced residents to eat grass will persist.
