Residents of Oleshky Arrive in Ukraine... Zelenskyy Expresses Thanks to Melania

As a ceasefire entered its fifth day in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky, some of the evacuated residents arrived in Ukraine today, local time (31st).

According to AFP, buses carrying these residents entered an undisclosed location in northern Ukraine on this day.

Residents draped in Ukrainian flags stepped off the vehicles to reunite with family and acquaintances, with scenes of tears and embraces captured.

However, AFP explained that the exact location where the residents arrived cannot be disclosed for security reasons.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed in a statement that "Ukrainian citizens from Oleshky have crossed the Ukrainian border via the Chernihiv region," adding that "residents who needed evacuation safely escaped from the city (Oleshky) and surrounding areas."

President Zelenskyy stated that during the ceasefire enacted for the evacuation of residents, demining operations and the delivery of humanitarian aid took place along the access roads to Oleshky, noting that "all of them will receive the necessary support."

Expressing gratitude to the United States and Melania Trump, wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, for mediating the local ceasefire in Oleshky, President Zelenskyy added, "Further measures to ease tensions and tangible progress toward peace are needed."

Russia seized Oleshky shortly after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Located along the Dnipro River opposite Kherson, the capital of Ukraine's Kherson Oblast, Oleshky had been isolated for months amid intensifying battles between the two countries' forces.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.