Evacuees from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have been reunited with their families after crossing into Ukrainian-held territory on Saturday. Residents of nearby villages lined the highway waving flags to greet the convoy of evacuees as it arrived.
The major rescue operation began on Friday and was carried out under the most significant truce since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began four and a half years ago. The truce made it possible for civilians to leave the occupied city and cross back into Ukrainian-controlled areas.
For many of those who made the journey, the crossing marked the end of a long separation from relatives who remained on the Ukrainian side of the front. The welcome from villagers along the route underlined the emotion of the reunions, with families and neighbours turning out to see the convoy pass.
The source material for this report is limited, and further details on the number of evacuees, the individual circumstances of those who crossed, and the terms of the truce were not available at the time of publication.
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