The convoy started in the morning from the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula. It consists of 25 buses and a vehicle in which people who need to lie down are transported. In total, around 800 people could be brought to safety. “However, it is assumed that around half of the people would also like to be evacuated from there,” reports ARD correspondent Florian Kellermann.

The White House said the ceasefire was largely brokered by First Lady Melania Trump. In the past few days, the ceasefire was used to clear the access roads to Oleschky of mines.

In addition to the Ukrainian human rights commissioner Lubinets, the Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova was also present.