Aid convoy sets off for Russian-held town of Oleshky in Ukraine, Izvestia says

An aid convoy started ​moving overnight towards the Russian-held ​town of Oleshky ‌in southern Ukraine, ​carrying food and medical supplies among other items, the Russian newspaper Izvestia ‌said on Friday. The move follows weeks of efforts to organise a relief operation for residents of the acutely deprived town, ‌seized by Russian forces soon after Moscow's February 2022 ‌invasion of its smaller neighbour.

Izvestia showed clips featuring Russia's human rights commissioner Lana Lantratova, along with images of passenger buses parked along a road. Reporters ⁠from ​countries such as ⁠France, Italy, Russia, Ukraine and the United States would accompany the ⁠convoy, it added.

On Thursday, Russia and Ukraine said demining operations had been ​completed around Oleshky and the humanitarian operation was ready to ⁠begin, to deliver aid to residents and let some leave. Elsewhere in ⁠Ukraine, ​Russia struck an industrial facility near Kremenchuk while hitting the capital, Kyiv and Kharkiv, the second biggest city, ⁠to cause fires, officials said on the Telegram messaging app, after ⁠deadly ⁠strikes a day before.

The Russian capital of Moscow was repelling a drone attack, its mayor said.