A group of Ukrainian civilians from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky have reunited with family members after an extended period trapped under occupation, according to reporting from the BBC and Al Jazeera.
The evacuees arrived starved and exhausted, having endured prolonged shortages of food, water and electricity, according to the BBC. Conditions became so severe that many residents resorted to cooking weeds from their gardens in order to eat.
Al Jazeera described the arrivals as the result of months of isolation, with the evacuees visibly weakened by the time they reached Ukrainian-controlled areas. Both outlets reported that not everyone chose to leave, with some residents remaining in Oleshky despite the hardships.
Background
Oleshky is located in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine and has been under Russian control since the early stages of the full-scale invasion. The city sits across the Dnipro River from Kherson city, which Ukrainian forces recaptured in late 2022. Residents on the occupied side have since been largely cut off from Ukrainian state services and assistance.
The reunions mark a rare opportunity for families separated by the front line to make contact after years apart. The precise circumstances and route of the evacuation were not detailed by either source.
