After 1,711 days of separation, Dmytro and Larisa, a couple from the occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky, were finally reunited on Saturday. Dmytro, a 54-year-old soldier in the Ukrainian military, had been waiting near the border between Ukraine and Belarus, anxiously looking for the bus carrying Larisa and others fleeing the occupied town. When they finally met, Dmytro was overwhelmed with emotion, kissing Larisa repeatedly and holding her tightly. Larisa, who had lost a third of her body weight under the occupation, was joyful, but also concerned about others still suffering in Oleshky.
The evacuation was made possible under a ceasefire that was called for by Pope Leo XIV and helped to be negotiated by Melania Trump, the first lady of the United States. Hundreds of people, including many pets, were evacuated from Oleshky and returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory on October 31, 2026. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the arrival of the evacuees on Telegram, thanking Trump for her help with the mediation. He also praised global attention to the situation in Oleshky, saying it had helped save lives.
Larisa, who spoke to CNN after her arrival, expressed concern for others still in Oleshky, saying it's hard for everyone in the country and that many people are in worse situations than her. She described her life under occupation as a nightmare, with no access to food, electricity, gas, or medicine. The town was hit by a major flood in 2023 after the nearby Nova Kakhovka Dam collapsed, and the humanitarian situation deteriorated in recent months. Larisa and others had to survive on grass and weeds, and some had not had bread for over a year.
The evacuees will receive medical assistance, as they have been suffering from malnutrition and lack of medical care. The director of the Chernihiv Regional Hospital, Andriy Zhydenko, was waiting at the border with his staff to provide medical assistance to the evacuees. He expressed concern about the effects of prolonged malnutrition, saying that consuming too much food too quickly could be dangerous. The hospital staff was overjoyed to be welcoming Ukrainian citizens home, with many having suffered greatly under occupation.
Ukraine's ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, traveled to Oleshky to personally escort the evacuees, becoming the first high-profile Ukrainian official to openly travel to occupied areas under Russian control. He said the operation was extremely difficult but hoped it could serve as an inspiration for the future. Lubinets added that he spoke to Russia's human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova, in Oleshky on Friday and that they plan to continue negotiations to help people in similar situations.
Some residents of Oleshky chose not to leave, despite the ceasefire set to expire on Sunday. Both Ukrainian and Russian authorities said they were provided with humanitarian aid. Another group of people chose to go to Russia, with Lantratova saying they were received at a temporary accommodation center in Simferopol in Crimea. The situation in Oleshky remains dire, with many still in need of food, medicine, and other essentials.
The evacuation is a small step towards relief for the people of Oleshky, who have suffered greatly under occupation. According to the Institute for the Study of War, around 40% of Oleshky's prewar population of 24,000 managed to flee to Ukraine-controlled territory early in the fighting. Thousands of others have escaped since then, but many remain, either unable or unwilling to leave. The family of Zhanna Ptakhova and her daughters, who were reunited with her husband and father, is just one example of the many families separated by the conflict.
Key points
- Melania Trump helped negotiate a ceasefire to evacuate hundreds from the occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky.
- The evacuees, including Dmytro and Larisa, were separated for 1,711 days and were finally reunited on Saturday.
- The situation in Oleshky remains dire, with many still in need of food, medicine, and other essentials.
