Ukraine and Russia Halt Fire in Oleshky for Humanitarian Access
A regional ceasefire began Tuesday to allow aid and evacuations in the Russian-held town, even as missile strikes continued in Kyiv and other areas.
By Elena Menon ·
Residents of the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine are expected to receive food and medicine for the first time in months, as a regional ceasefire took effect Tuesday morning. The pause in fighting is designed to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian supplies and the evacuation of civilians from a front-line community facing acute shortages.
The agreement marks the first major truce in the area since Russia seized the town in the early days of its February 2022 invasion. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights, confirmed that the Ukrainian side is honoring its commitments. He stated that the deal was reached in coordination with Melania Trump and Russia’s human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova.
Russia’s Defence Ministry announced it stopped shelling in the direction of Kherson at 4 a.m. Moscow time to prepare for the effort. Oleshky sits on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, directly opposite the city of Kherson, which Ukrainian forces hold. The town has suffered extensive damage from war and flooding following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in 2023. The United States estimates that only a few thousand people remain in Oleshky, down from a prewar population of 24,000.
Despite the local truce, heavy strikes continued elsewhere on Tuesday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles and more than 280 drones overnight. These attacks hit the Southern Bridge and subway infrastructure in Kyiv, forcing a suspension of traffic. Zelenskyy described the strikes as a serious escalation against Ukrainian logistics and confirmed casualties in the capital.
On the Russian side, regional governor Egor Kovalchuk said two men were killed and six injured in drone attacks in Bryansk. In the Russian-controlled part of Zaporizhzhia region, a drone hit a bus, killing one person and injuring 30. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians, though independent verification of these figures remains limited.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue in parallel with the fighting. White House envoys have spoken to both sides in recent days, although questions have arisen regarding U.S. mediation after a diesel deal with Russia and critical comments by President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy said on Friday that technical-level peace negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States will meet in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. Stubb’s office described the discussion as frank and substantive, noting that as neighboring countries, their security is directly impacted by the war's outcome. An aide to Zelenskyy confirmed the Ukrainian president was briefed after the call. Western European leaders have generally avoided direct contact with Putin since the full-scale invasion began.
Source: CBC News
