Civilians evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky in southern Ukraine reached Ukrainian-held territory after flying to Belarus, Al Jazeera reported, citing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy⁴. CBS News described relatives waiting Saturday at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border with aid tents and groups including the Red Cross¹.

Four planes carrying residents landed in Gomel, Belarus, BBC and RTE reported, citing Belarusian state media and Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia^2,3. Arakhamia said the last aircraft had arrived and that evacuees would be on Ukrainian territory within hours^2,3. Belta said a bus convoy then left Gomel airport toward the border^2,3.

The group left Oleshky on Friday during a localized ceasefire that Ukrainian and Russian officials said had held since Tuesday and was due to last through Sunday, BBC, RTE and France 24 reported^2,3,5. The pause was credited to mediation involving U.S. first lady Melania Trump, those accounts said; RTE also cited involvement by Pope Leo^3,5.

Because the front line sits a few kilometers from the town, evacuees traveled by bus through occupied Crimea to Anapa in southern Russia, then flew to Belarus^2,3,5. France 24 quoted Russia's human rights ombudsman Yana Lantratova as saying 25 buses and nine ambulances were used and that the mission ended without incidents⁵. Ukraine's ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets visited the town with her, BBC reported².

Neither side published a full headcount of who left⁵. RTE said Ukrainian officials put remaining residents at about 1,700 from a pre-war population of about 24,000³. BBC said several hundred people were understood to have stayed despite a lack of gas, electricity and running water². What happens when the ceasefire ends Sunday was not settled in these reports^2,5.