Evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky in Ukraine arrive in Belarus

The US State Department said on Friday it had approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine for an estimated 2.1 billion dollars

in what would be one of the most significant steps to supply defensive weapons to Kyiv since the start of the second Trump administration.

This as evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky in Ukraine have arrived in Belarus on their way to Ukraine, as part of a major rescue operation.

The operation took place under the most significant truce since Russia's military operation in Ukraine over four years ago.

Civilians began their journey out of the war-ravaged region in bus convoys on Friday.

The ceasefire in Ukraine's southern Kherson region began Thursday and is expected to continue through Sunday evening.

The estimated 2,000 remaining residents were offered the choice of travelling to Ukrainian or Russian-held territory

or remaining in the city with replenished food and medical supplies.