Truce begins in Ukraine city where residents ate weeds to survive

Zelensky has warned that routes out of Oleshky that are demined by Russia will ensure that those civilians leaving Oleshky will "head towards Russia and stay there". However, he said some would get to Ukrainian-controlled territory "one way or another", and ideally anyone trapped would be able to reach their destination and evacuate to Ukraine.

One resident called Serhii, who fled Oleshky around three weeks ago, has told the BBC how he walked 24km (15 miles) of minefields to get to safety.

"In some places you have to keep two metres away. In others you have to walk quietly... you can't even talk. We passed within a metre of mines like that, hoping they wouldn't go off," he said.

Serhii, who did not want to share his surname, said he had eventually returned to Ukraine via Russia and Belarus but called for a route across the River Dnipro that avoided Russian-occupied territory, saying "you simply cannot trust the Russian Federation".

However, bridges across the river have been destroyed and sources say the riverbank is also mined and dangerous.

The White House said last week that "non-military, civilian leaders from both countries would work together to visit Oleshky residents in their homes and determine the level of assistance they require".

Although the US first lady is relatively lower-profile than some of her predecessors - and only occasionally seen at White House events - she has become involved in addressing humanitarian issues stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war.

In August 2025, she penned a letter to Putin, telling him it was "time to protect children and future generations worldwide".