The ceasefire requested by Melania Trump, the First Lady of the U.S., to evacuate approximately 2,500 residents still remaining in the city of Oleshky has been respected by both Ukraine and Russia since the 27th at 3:00 AM until today, as confirmed by both Ukraine's Ombudsman, Dimitro Lubinets, and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova.
Since then, both sides have begun demining around the city besieged by Moscow (on the occupied side of the Dnipro River) to allow for the evacuation of these people. Several sources from Ukraine report that Ukrainian, Russian, American representatives, and some journalists will attend this main evacuation tomorrow, Friday.
Meanwhile, a Russian attack on the train station in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, in the east of the country, has resulted in at least 13 deaths and around 10 injuries this Thursday. According to the official Telegram channel of Ukrainian Railways, Ukrzaliznytsia, Russia launched a jet-propelled drone attack on this station, and the impact hit one of the platforms where a passenger train was present at that time.
In Oleshky, throughout yesterday, after confirming the cessation of hostilities, thousands of people approached neighboring Kherson, on the Ukrainian-controlled bank, to try to recover from their homes everything that has not yet been destroyed. Therefore, a number of residents who had not been seen since 2022 were seen in the streets. Although the sound of drones accompanied their path, they were more like reconnaissance or spy drones from both sides, not attack drones, making it relatively safe to move around for a few hours, aside from the mines placed at a distance throughout the city.
According to authorities, the population trapped in the city's basements will be allowed to board buses heading to Anapa, in the area controlled by Ukraine, or Sevastopol, in the Crimea occupied by Moscow. Kiev officials fear that ultimately the Russians will force all residents of Oleshky to travel to occupied Ukraine, although this suspicion will not be resolved until tomorrow.
There have also been mass reports of Russia transferring ammunition and heavy equipment to war zones, as well as rotating its troops taking advantage of the ceasefire, although truces are also used for this purpose, and it would be strange if Ukraine were not doing the same.
The city of Oleshky has been isolated for years from both the Ukrainian side, as the Antonivsky bridge was blown up by the Russians during their retreat, and from the side of the occupiers, who mined access points and left this city in a gray zone. When some of its inhabitants have tried to escape, they have died due to mines or been hit by kamikaze drones piloted by Russian soldiers. In this situation, the population has been suffering from hunger and shortages. Many have been buried in their own gardens in a city where survivors are barely living in the basements.