Ukrainians Evacuate Oleshky After Four-Year Siege

Olha and her husband Viacheslav stepped off a coach in the Ukrainian region of Chernihiv on Saturday, bringing their immediate family and their dog with them. After years of living under occupation in the frontline city of Oleshky, Viacheslav described their return as coming back from hell. Olha offered a single word to summarize their experience: horror.

The couple was among hundreds of residents who crossed from Russian-occupied territory into northern Ukraine via Belarus. Many reunited with relatives they had not seen in years. Oleshky was seized by Russian forces in February 2022 during the initial phase of the full-scale invasion. The city remains trapped on one side by the Dnipro River and on the other by Russian military lines.

Olha and Viacheslav lived in Oleshky with their son and daughter, both of whom are in their 30s. As shelling intensified around them, the couple feared that escaping might be more dangerous than staying. They cited mined routes and frequent drone attacks as major obstacles. Supplies in the city dwindled to the point where residents cooked garden weeds to survive. Earlier this month, the couple attempted to cross minefields to find food. Olha noted that people were stepping on mines, dying, and being maimed just to eat.

The evacuation became possible earlier this week when a humanitarian ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump took effect in the Kherson region. This agreement provided the first few days of peace in the area in four years. Authorities estimated that up to 6,000 people, including 200 children, remained in Oleshky and its surrounding areas. Approximately 1,700 people lived in the city itself.

Residents were given a four-hour window on Friday to leave. A convoy of 25 buses transported up to 750 evacuees, accompanied by ambulances for those with limited mobility. The groups traveled through Russian-occupied territory to southern Russia, then flew to Belarus. From there, they arrived by bus at a military facility in Chernihiv on Saturday.

On the tarmac, elderly residents who were physically weak had to be carried on stretchers. Others experienced emotional reunions. Mykhailo Palii was greeted by his daughters, Dasha and Anya, who sprinted across the ground screaming and crying. They had believed they might never see their father again. Palii shared details of life in the city that he had previously hidden from his family to spare them worry. He described a hole blown into his bathroom and noted frequent drone attacks and missile strikes.

Tetiana and Volodymyr arrived carrying a cat. They stated that their entire home was burned down three years ago and that they had been living in a neighbor's abandoned house since. Tetiana said the decision to leave was easy because they had no relatives in the city and their married children did not live with them. She noted that there was nothing to regret about their departure.

Those who escaped expressed concern for the many people still living under difficult conditions in Oleshky. The evacuees now face the task of determining where to go next and how to rebuild their lives. Palii said he intends to find work to support his family, listing digging, hoeing, planting, building, and demolition as tasks he can handle. Olha said her family will stay with acquaintances for an extended period while they get back on their feet. She stated that if they managed to survive in hell, they will survive in their new location.