A localized ceasefire has begun in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky to allow humanitarian aid and civilian evacuation. The White House says the truce was secured by US First Lady Melania Trump.
A localized ceasefire has begun in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, where residents have been trapped without food, water, and electricity. Ukrainian officials and Russia's defence ministry say the limited truce is being respected. The White House said the ceasefire was secured by US First Lady Melania Trump and is meant to allow aid deliveries and a civilian evacuation on Friday.
Oleshky, located along the front line in the Kherson region, is trapped on one side by the Dnipro River, which separates it from Ukrainian positions, and on the other by Russian forces. Before the war, the city was home to 24,000 people, but it was seized by Russia during the first days of its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Kyiv believes up to 6,000 people, including 200 children, remain in Oleshky and its surrounding areas, with only 1,700 still living in the city itself.
Conditions have become so desperate that many residents have resorted to cooking garden weeds to survive. No shops are open, and the city has had no electricity, gas, or water for three years. Escape routes have been mined and subject to drone attacks. One resident told the BBC, "I don't believe in Russia's humanity."
The truce is intended to allow supplies in and enable roads to be cleared of mines for safe passage out. According to Davyd Arakhamia, a Ukrainian MP who heads Zelensky's party in parliament, the truce is due to be in place until 23:59 local time on 1 November. However, Source 3 states the ceasefire is due to continue until 22:59 p.m. local time on Sunday. Due to this discrepancy in reported end times, the exact duration remains unclear.
Ukraine's parliament commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, stated that the operation is part of a humanitarian mission carried out with the mediation and coordination of US First Lady Melania Trump, in cooperation with Yana Lantratova, Russia's Commissioner for Human Rights. "This is part of a humanitarian mission being carried out with the mediation and co-ordination of US First Lady Melania Trump, in co-operation with Yana Lantratova, Russia's Commissioner for Human Rights," Lubinets wrote on social media.
The White House said last week that "non-military, civilian leaders from both countries would work together to visit Oleshky residents in their homes and determine the level of assistance they require." In August 2025, Melania Trump penned a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, telling him it was "time to protect children and future generations worldwide."
While the truce is in effect, strikes continue elsewhere. On Monday evening, attacks on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv hit a university and a bridge, killing one person and injuring 14 others. In Russia, one person was killed and six others were injured after a Ukrainian drone strike on Bryansk.
Residents and officials have expressed concerns about the safety of the evacuation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that routes out of Oleshky demined by Russia will ensure that civilians leaving "head towards Russia and stay there." He noted that some would get to Ukrainian-controlled territory "one way or another," but ideally, anyone trapped would be able to reach their destination and evacuate to Ukraine.
Communication with people in Oleshky is patchy, and many are reluctant to speak of the situation in fear of reprisals from the Russians, making it difficult to verify reports that the ceasefire is being implemented. One woman told the BBC she had stepped on a land mine and was in hospital after two operations, worried she would not be able to join the evacuation.
The truce in Oleshky represents a rare moment of cooperation between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States, to address a severe humanitarian crisis. The situation highlights the dire conditions faced by civilians in occupied territories and the complex geopolitical dynamics involving US diplomatic efforts. The success or failure of this localized ceasefire could influence future humanitarian negotiations in the ongoing conflict.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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