Three planes carrying residents evacuated from Oleshky arrive in Belarus, news agency reports

People attend an evacuation from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the Kherson region, in this handout picture released October 30, 2026. Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT

Oct 31 (Reuters) - ⁠Three planes carrying residents ⁠evacuated from the Russian-controlled ‌Ukrainian town of Oleshky landed at Gomel airport in Belarus, ​the Belta state ⁠news agency ⁠reported on Saturday.

The evacuees, wishing ⁠to leave ‌for Ukraine, travelled by bus ⁠via the Crimean peninsula to ​the ‌Russian town of Anapa ⁠before flying ​to Belarus and will proceed to Ukraine ⁠via a border crossing, ​Belta said.

Starving and exhausted residents were evacuated by bus ⁠on Friday as part of a joint relief operation by the opposing sides, ​the first ⁠of its kind in ​four years and ‌eight months of ​war.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Joe Bavier)