Ukraine evacuates Oleshky residents under Melania Trump-brokered ceasefire

Ukrainian evacuees from the occupied town of Oleshky returned to Ukraine on Saturday, reuniting with families after a ceasefire brokered with help from first lady Melania Trump. Hundreds arrived at the Belarus border, ending a humanitarian crisis that left residents starving. The evacuation followed a ceasefire called by Pope Leo XIV and negotiated with Trump's mediation, as announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky. Evacuees, including soldier Dmytro reuniting with wife Larisa after 1,711 days, traveled via Crimea and Russia to Belarus, with medical staff on hand to treat malnutrition. Oleshky, with a prewar population of 24,000, has suffered from flooding, fighting, and food shortages since 2023, with residents surviving on grass. Ukraine's ombudsman escorted the group, marking the first high-profile Ukrainian official visit to occupied territory since the war began.