Russia and Ukraine launch first joint aid and evacuation operation in Oleshky

Russia and Ukraine have begun evacuating residents and distributing aid in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, marking the first joint relief operation of its kind in nearly five years of war, officials from both sides confirmed Friday. The operation, part of a US-brokered ceasefire, targets roughly 2,000 remaining residents of the city, which had a pre-war population of 24,000. Evacuees will be taken to either Russia or Kyiv-controlled territory, with Ukrainian and Russian officials overseeing the effort. The ceasefire, announced by US First Lady Melania Trump, is due to end Sunday and is the longest pause in fighting since 2022. Attacks continue elsewhere, including a drone strike in Dnipro that killed 14 people, while peace talks are set to resume in Abu Dhabi next month.