Hundreds of Ukrainian residents have described their harrowing experiences after being evacuated from the Russian-occupied frontline city of Oleshky, with many calling their years under occupation "hell" and "horror."

Oleshky, located in the Kherson region, was seized by Russian forces in the early days of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Situated between the Dnipro River and Russian-controlled territory, residents faced extreme dangers, including minefields and drone attacks, when attempting to secure basic necessities.

Viacheslav and Olha, a couple who lived in Oleshky with their adult children, were among those evacuated. They recounted the immense fear and dwindling supplies that characterized their time in the city. Olha described attempts to find food that involved crossing minefields, where people were being maimed or killed simply trying to survive. Those who remained in the city resorted to eating garden weeds.

The opportunity for escape arose this week following a humanitarian ceasefire brokered in the Kherson region, offering the first respite in four years. This ceasefire allowed for the evacuation of Oleshky residents. Up to 6,000 people, including 200 children, were estimated to be living in Oleshky and its surrounding areas, with 1,700 in the city itself.

Residents were given a four-hour window on Friday to leave. A convoy of 25 buses was organized to transport up to 750 evacuees, with ambulances available for those with mobility issues. The journey involved traveling through Russian-occupied territory, then to southern Russia, before flying to Belarus. From Belarus, the evacuees arrived by bus at a military facility in Chernihiv on Saturday.

Upon arrival in Chernihiv, some elderly evacuees were so frail they required stretchers. The arrivals were processed on the tarmac, a scene marked by both exhaustion and emotional reunions. Mykhailo Palii, another evacuee, was tearfully reunited with his daughters, Dasha and Anya, who had feared they might never see him again.

Palii shared glimpses of life in Oleshky, admitting he had withheld many details from his family to shield them from worry. He described the constant threat of drone attacks and missile strikes, including a direct hit to his bathroom. Meanwhile, Tetiana and Volodymyr, a couple who lost their home to fire three years ago and had been living in an abandoned house, expressed their fear that the journey out of Oleshky could have been disrupted.

The evacuation signifies a moment of relief for hundreds who endured years of occupation, marked by severe hardship and constant danger. The return to northern Ukraine offers them a chance to begin rebuilding their lives away from the frontline.