Russia uses Oleshky evacuation for propaganda ahead of UN-brokered operation

Russia is using the evacuation of the Ukrainian town of Oleshky for propaganda, with state media broadcasting staged statements from evacuees ahead of the official operation. The evacuation, mediated by US First Lady Melania Trump, is set to begin Friday at 1 pm CET. Over 500 of the estimated 2,000 remaining residents want to leave, but Russian forces began evacuating people Thursday without coordination and moved troops toward the town during the ceasefire. Oleshky, occupied since February 2022, is heavily mined and destroyed. Russian state agency Tass aired evacuees claiming residents wanted to go to Russian territory, contradicting recent attempts by locals to flee toward Ukrainian-held areas across the Dnepr River.