1,711 days apart: The moving reunion of the couple from the mine city after "Melania's ceasefire"

A humanitarian ceasefire brokered by Melania Trump allowed the evacuation of hundreds of people from the occupied city of Oleshky. Among the evacuees: Larisa and Dmytro, who embraced after 1,711 days of separation. Residents suffered from hunger and extreme conditions.

A rare humanitarian ceasefire, brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, enabled the evacuation of hundreds of people from the city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, under Russian occupation since 2022. The truce, agreed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is expected to last until Sunday. Among the evacuees were Dmytro, a Ukrainian soldier, and his wife Larisa, who embraced for the first time after 1,711 days of separation. Residents of Oleshky suffered severe shortages of food and medicine, with some reporting they had to eat wild herbs to survive. The evacuees received assistance at the Belarus-Ukraine border, including tents, coffee, and beer. Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, praised the operation and noted the evacuees' ages ranged from one to 94. The article notes that both sides are trying to use the truce to gain favor with U.S. President Donald Trump.