Evacuations begin from starving Russian-held Oleshky in first joint relief operation of the war

Summary

Starving and exhausted residents of Oleshky, a Russian-held town in southern Ukraine, began evacuating on Friday as part of a joint relief operation by the opposing sides. It is the first operation of its kind in four years and eight months of war. Hundreds of people were evacuated during a rare ceasefire, and hundreds more are understood to have stayed in the front-line town despite the dangers. Russian strikes on the surrounding area have prevented food, water and medicine from reaching the city for months.

Timeline

1. ABC

   30 Oct 2026, 11:56 UTCSource ↗

   ABC reports that starving residents of Oleshky in southern Ukraine have begun evacuating as part of a joint relief operation by the opposing sides, the first of its kind in four years and eight months of war.

2. CBC

   30 Oct 2026, 12:20 UTCSource ↗

   CBC reports that starving and exhausted residents of the Russian-held town in southern Ukraine were being evacuated on Friday as part of a joint relief operation by the opposing sides, the first of its kind in four years and eight months of war.

3. BBC

   30 Oct 2026, 16:26 UTCSource ↗

   BBC reports that hundreds of people were evacuated from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky during a rare Ukraine ceasefire, and that hundreds more are understood to have stayed in the front-line town despite the dangers.

4. CBS News

   30 Oct 2026, 20:16 UTCSource ↗

   CBS News reports that Ukrainians trapped in the Russia-held city evacuated during a local ceasefire, and that Russian strikes on the surrounding area have prevented food, water and medicine from reaching the city for months.