Four evacuation planes carrying residents from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky have landed in Belarus. The transfers come as a rare, U.S.-brokered ceasefire holds in the area, allowing civilians to escape months of severe shortages and blockade.
Evacuation Convoys Reach Belarus From Occupied Oleshky
Evacuees from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky crossed into Belarusian territory on October 31, 2026, after four evacuation planes landed in Gomel, according to David Arakhamia, head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s parliamentary faction. The arrivals marked a key leg in an ongoing humanitarian operation to relocate stranded residents from a frontline municipality that has remained under Russian control since 2022.
We are in Oleshky! The Ukrainian delegation has safely reached the city.The ceasefire has been in effect for 80 hours and remains in place. I am currently on the ground, speaking with local residents to hear about their needs and understand what kind of assistance they need… pic.twitter.com/AOhKIV0WLO
We will be home soon!
Prior to the airlift, buses carrying evacuees reached Armiansk in Russian-occupied Crimea. There, the convoy split into two groups, with some travelers intending to head toward Russia and others bound for Ukrainian-controlled territory, as Russia’s human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova outlined during joint briefings with Ukrainian officials. Arakhamia stated that the Ukrainian delegation made their way to Oleshky by passing through Anapa in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, from where they reportedly took a flight to Belarus and finished their journey to Ukrainian-held areas via bus.
⚡️ Russia's Ombudswoman #Lantratova: Our mission in #Alyoshki has concluded. Aid delivered. Residents could freely choose to go Russia or Ukraine.❗️ I propose making such missions a regular practice, coordinated by @FLOTUS, & thank her for the help.https://t.co/tFLAV9Sv4Z pic.twitter.com/6RSKdFon4Y
Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi initially stated during a public government Q&A session on October 30 that 527 residents of the occupied city were planning to travel to Ukrainian-controlled territory. Officials from both countries noted that individuals who had not previously registered for evacuation were also given the opportunity to leave, while those who chose to stay would receive all necessary humanitarian support.
Ceasefire Hold Brings Relief to Stranded Frontline Population
The evacuation was made possible by a localized ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump.
‼️We will be home soon! For now, we are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus — together with our people and even their beloved pets!More details coming very soon. pic.twitter.com/qYWq2KaP3Z
30 hours of the ceasefire in Oleshky have passed without a single incident,
Ukraine’s Dmytro Lubinets stated on Wednesday.
We have been preparing this mission since May, thoroughly planning every stage, including the preparation of the humanitarian convoy.
Yana Lantratova, Russia’s human rights ombudsman
Lantratova also traveled with a team of four American journalists from the U.S. conservative outlet Newsmax into the town. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media that the presence of American reporters was unimportant and that what mattered was the presence of Russian journalists.
Severe Deprivations Shape Conditions in Oleshky
The operation addresses a humanitarian crisis inside Oleshky, located in the Kherson region. Blockade and active combat reduced the local population from approximately 24,000 residents before the war down to roughly 2,000 people. Former residents and returning monitors described acute shortages of food, drinking water, and medicine, with survivors enduring months of heavy shelling and harrowing accounts of risking their lives traveling along mine-strewn roads known as the “road of death” just to get food and water.
Ahead of the civilian departures, demining teams cleared vital transit routes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted via Interfax that clearance efforts were underway to ensure residents could receive humanitarian aid safely and without obstruction. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier accused Ukraine of creating a humanitarian catastrophe in Oleshky, though Russian forces have controlled the city since the early days of the 2022 invasion.
NEW: Both Russia and Ukraine are observing the limited humanitarian ceasefire intended to provide aid to the Russian-occupied Oleshky area as of October 29, but Russia may use the ceasefire to facilitate the forced transfer or deportation of Oleshky evacuees further into… pic.twitter.com/jx9yPlF2Du
Kremlin Rejects Comprehensive Peace Settlement
While humanitarian coordination succeeded in Oleshky, diplomatic and military friction persisted across the region. Kremlin representatives stressed that the localized truce served as an isolated arrangement and should not be generalized into a comprehensive peace settlement. The ceasefire itself is scheduled to end on Sunday evening.
Vladimir Putin praised Elon Musk as a genius, a true genius
as Russia develops its own Rassvet constellation. Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine pointed out that the regional capital of Kherson — home to a pre-invasion population of roughly 280,000 — has experienced no heavy bombardments since the local truce went into effect.
💬 Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner #Lantratova:We’ve arrived in #Alyoshki with dozens of tonnes of aid: food, hygiene supplies & generator fuel – what residents asked for.For those who decide to stay, this is vital. This is their home. They have loved ones to care for. pic.twitter.com/iIMTItryCP
More on Oleshky
Evacuated residents of the temporarily occupied city of Oleshky have arrived in Gomel, Belarus. They will be in Ukraine in just a few hours pic.twitter.com/dkE3QlPXeo
Hundreds of residents from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky have been transported to Belarus, as part of a major evacuation mission under a truce that the White House says US First Lady Melania Trump helped broker ⤵️ https://t.co/7nFXgqzKAQ
Three planes carrying residents evacuated from Oleshky arrive in Belarus, news agency reports https://t.co/YsjdgmpIeK
Oleshky evacuees are arriving in Belarus, after departing Ukraine through Russia, and will soon be arriving in Kyiv.@Newsmax followed their journey and documented the humanitarian effort that was made possibly by the ceasefire brokered by @FLOTUS Melania Trump. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/BtBbtucBU6