Evacuated civilians from Russian-occupied Oleshky reach Ukrainian-held territory

Civilians evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky have crossed into Ukrainian-held territory after a humanitarian mission and localized ceasefire, part of a major rescue operation carried out under the most significant truce since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago. The residents travelled by bus and plane through Russia and Belarus. The crossing took place under restrictions imposed by Ukrainian authorities that did not permit the disclosure of the number of evacuees or the location of the border crossing. Ukrainian organizers said the restrictions were imposed in part to safeguard residents who chose to remain in Oleshky as well as to protect the safety of similar humanitarian missions that may occur. The ceasefire in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, which the White House says was brokered with help from U.S. first lady Melania Trump, began at 3 a.m. Tuesday and is expected to continue through Sunday evening. It was a rare joint Russia-Ukraine humanitarian effort — a brief respite in the grim war.