'We came back from hell', say Ukrainians after years in Russia-occupied front-line city

Ukrainians evacuated from the Russia-occupied front-line city of Oleshky have been reunited with loved ones after years away from home.

Emotional reunions after years apart

The reunions have been marked by strong emotion as evacuees return from a city that remained under Russian occupation. Their accounts capture the personal cost of living for years in a front-line environment.

Some Ukrainians described the experience in stark terms, saying: “We came back from hell.”

A human story from an occupied city

The focus on Oleshky evacuees highlights the disruption caused by the occupation of the city and the importance of reconnecting displaced people with their families and loved ones.

For those involved, the reunions represent a return to personal connections after years shaped by separation and the conditions of a Russia-occupied front-line city.