Russian forces control Oleshky, a town in southern Ukraine. They took control in February 2022. About 2,000 people remain there. They have very little food, medicine and other things they need.
A plan aims to bring help and take people to safety. US First Lady Melania Trump helped with the agreement. A pause in fighting started on Tuesday and should last until 1 November. Ukrainian human rights official Dmytro Lubinets said the first 30 hours passed without problems.
People who agree to leave may first travel by bus to Russia or Crimea, an area under Russian control. This raises fears that Russia could move them against their wishes. In 2022, people escaping Mariupol and other areas went through similar journeys. Human rights groups documented cases where people had no real choice about going to Russia or areas under its control.
Russia says it will only move people if they agree. Russian official Yana Lantratova says residents should choose whether to leave and where to go. She also says Oleshky is Russian land, but international law recognises it as part of Ukraine. Travelling through Russia alone does not mean a forced move: people must freely agree to leave and stay free to choose where they go.
