Hundreds of Ukrainian residents evacuated from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have arrived in the Belarusian city of Gomel, according to Belarusian state media and Ukrainian officials. The evacuations took place on Friday during a local ceasefire brokered in the Kherson region, which has seen widespread devastation since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Planes carrying the residents landed in Gomel on Saturday morning. David Arakhamia, a senior Ukrainian official, stated that all Ukrainian citizens evacuated from Oleshky, along with a Ukrainian delegation, would be back on Ukrainian territory within hours. The Belarusian state news agency Belta reported that a bus convoy carrying residents had departed Gomel airport and was en route to the Ukrainian border.

A humanitarian ceasefire took effect across the frontline Kherson region on Tuesday, marking the first period of peace in the area in four years. The ceasefire, which was set to last until the end of Sunday, November 1, allowed for the demining of the road out of Oleshky. Residents were given a four-hour window to leave before a convoy of 25 buses, with capacity for 750 people, departed on Friday afternoon, accompanied by ambulances for those with limited mobility.

Despite the devastation and lack of essential services such as gas, electricity, and running water, several hundred people reportedly chose to remain in Oleshky. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, assured that those who stayed would receive necessary humanitarian assistance.

The evacuation route involved a complex journey. Ukrainian military positions are located approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from Oleshky. Evacuees first had to travel through Russian-occupied territory to the southern Russian city of Anapa, from where they then flew to Gomel, Belarus. This operation required significant coordination.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian human rights ombudsman, and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, traveled to Oleshky together on Friday, originating from Armiansk in the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula. Lubinets's visit marked the first time a Ukrainian official had entered Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine since the war began. He stated that his cooperation with Lantratova was conducted in the interest of saving lives.

However, the collaboration has drawn criticism within Ukraine, with some expressing dismay at Lubinets appearing alongside a representative of the Russian authorities responsible for numerous casualties and harsh living conditions in Oleshky. Russia had previously announced it had prepared dozens of tons of aid, including food, medicine, and fuel, for residents who chose not to evacuate.

This evacuation operation highlights the complex humanitarian challenges and the precarious security situation in the occupied territories. The temporary ceasefire provided a critical window for residents to leave, but the long-term implications for those who remain and the future of Oleshky are uncertain.