A limited ceasefire has begun in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, where residents have faced severe shortages of food, water, and electricity. Ukrainian officials and the Russian defence ministry reported that the truce, which the White House stated was secured by US First Lady Melania Trump, is being respected to permit aid deliveries and a civilian evacuation.
Dire Conditions in Oleshky
Oleshky is situated along the front line in the Kherson region, trapped between the Dnipro River and Russian forces. Before the war, the city had a population of 24,000, but Kyiv estimates that up to 6,000 people remain in the city and surrounding areas, with only 1,700 still living inside Oleshky itself since Russian forces seized it in February 2022.
Local residents have suffered extreme hunger, with some resorting to cooking garden weeds to survive, as reported by BBC News. The city has had no electricity, gas, or water for three years, and no shops remain open. One woman told BBC News that she stepped on a land mine and had to undergo two operations in a hospital, where only one facility remains partially operational and opens a few days a week for critical amputations.
Escaping the city is considered extremely dangerous because evacuation routes have been heavily mined and are subject to drone attacks. Contact with residents is difficult due to patchy communications and fear of reprisals from Russian forces.
Ceasefire and Evacuation Plans
The Russian defence ministry stated on Telegram that units from the army’s Dnepr group began engineering reconnaissance and clearing main access roads of explosive devices. The ministry halted firing toward Kherson at 04:00 Moscow time in preparation for the humanitarian operation.
Davyd Arakhamia, a Ukrainian MP, stated that the truce is scheduled to remain in place until 23:59 local time on 1 November. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s parliament commissioner for human rights, traveled to the region to coordinate the mission, noting on social media that the operation involves mediation by Melania Trump and cooperation with Yana Lantratova, Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Zelensky’s office, emphasized the critical importance of the rescue mission proceeding successfully and safely. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that routes cleared by Russia might direct evacuees toward Russia, though he expressed hope that people would reach Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Concerns remain regarding the stability of the truce and potential security risks during evacuations, while military strikes continue in other regions, including attacks in Kyiv and Bryansk.
