Oleshky Evacuees Arrive in Belarus Before Heading to Ukraine

By Reuters Oct. 31, 2026 ROMAN PILIPEY / AFP Four planes carrying residents evacuated from the Russian-controlled Ukrainian town of Oleshky landed in Belarus on Saturday, the Belarusian state news agency Belta and a senior Ukrainian official said. Hundreds of starving and exhausted residents left the town of Oleshky on Friday during a U.S.-backed local ceasefire, the first of its kind and the longest humanitarian pause in the war, which is nearing its fifth year. "The last, fourth plane landed in Gomel," said David Arakhamia, a top Ukrainian peace negotiator and close ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky. “In a few hours, all Ukrainian citizens evacuated from Oleshky together with a Ukrainian delegation will be on Ukrainian territory.” Belta later reported that a convoy of buses carrying the residents had departed from the airport in Gomel, in southeastern Belarus near the border with Ukraine. The evacuees heading for Ukraine had to take a complicated route to leave Oleshky as the frontline runs just a few kilometres away. They traveled first by bus via Crimea to the Russian town of Anapa, before flying to Belarus, from where they will continue to Ukraine via a border crossing, Belta said. The ceasefire was reached thanks to mediation efforts by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump and with the involvement of the Pope. The ceasefire has been holding since Tuesday without violations, according to both Ukrainian and Russian officials. It has allowed them to de-mine the roads and bring food, medicines and other supplies into the town. Supply routes to Oleshky were disrupted by fighting and drones. According to some residents, food deliveries were stopped in May, pushing hundreds of people into starvation. It was not immediately clear how many people decided to leave Oleshky and how many opted to stay in the town. Oleshky residents had the option to travel to Russia or to return to Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have said around 1,700 people remained in Oleshky from a pre-war population of about 24,000. According to several residents interviewed by Reuters, many of those were elderly or ill. Read more about: Ukraine war , Belarus Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Feature ‘You Can't Trust Putin’: Chechens, Georgians and Belarusians Fighting for Ukraine Warn of Russian Betrayal As the U.S. seeks an end to the war in Ukraine, fighters whose homelands suffered from Russian expansion believe that Moscow will never stop. 5 Min read Belarus Says Will Join Ukraine Offensive 'Only' if Attacked Despite Lukashenko's repeated promises, fears have been building that his troops could also intervene. 2 Min read Explainer: Is the Belarus-Russia ‘Joint Military Group’ a Threat to Ukraine? Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed Monday that Ukraine was readying an attack on Belarus and announced the formation of a “joint military... Russians, Belarusians Caught in the Crossfire in Ukraine Russians and Belarusians living in Ukraine are facing mounting administrative challenges that may force them out of the country.