A Russian official said a humanitarian operation in Oleshky has been carried out successfully, according to 新华网客户端. In a video posted on social media, Lantratova said the effort involved 25 buses, nine ambulances and vehicles used to transport bedridden people.
The evacuation convoys are now being organized by destination in Armyansk, a city in northern Crimea, 新华网客户端 reports. From there, the groups will travel separately to Russia and to Ukraine.
Oleshky sits on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River, across the water from Kherson, which is held by Ukrainian forces. The United States has said the town has been on the front line since the full-scale escalation of the Ukraine crisis, with roughly 1,700 to 2,000 residents remaining, many of them older people with limited mobility.
According to 新华网客户端, Russia and Ukraine began a localized ceasefire in Oleshky on October 27. The arrangement was meant to let humanitarian supplies enter the area and allow civilians to leave through designated safe routes.
The source reporting does not give the total number of people moved, the condition of those evacuated, or how long the ceasefire is set to last.
What to watch next: whether the convoys reach their destinations and whether the local truce in Oleshky is extended.
