Since a ceasefire took effect in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in Ukraine's Kherson region on October 27, preparations have been underway to evacuate residents trapped there. Following Russia's occupation of the town in 2022 and the flooding caused by the destruction of the nearby Kakhovka dam in 2023, residents were cut off from the outside world. All access routes to Oleshky, which lies on the Dnipro River, had been mined.
Former Oleshky residents who managed to escape and talked to DW described hunger, no access to medicine, and no electricity or water. About 2,000 people are still living in the town. According to the Save Ukraine Foundation, it has rescued at least 300 civilians from Oleshky over the past six months.
DW spoke with lawyer Myroslava Kharchenko, who works for the organization, about preparations for the upcoming evacuation. DW: A ceasefire is already in effect in Oleshky. Do you know whether any evacuation efforts have begun?
Myroslava Kharchenko: No, we do not have that information yet. What we do know is that the ceasefire came into effect on October 27 at 3 a.m. Kyiv time, which is 4 a.m. in Russia.
Mine-clearing operations on the road began at around 8 a.m. What is happening inside Oleshky itself, however, is entirely within the military's remit. Everyone involved in this operation has been asked to maintain strict confidentiality.
Any careless remark or action could jeopardize the entire evacuation effort. What I can see is that information is being actively collected through closed internal local chat groups. Registration lists and application forms are being shared, and people are filling them out themselves.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
