Russia and Ukraine have established a localised ceasefire in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky to permit a humanitarian operation and civilian evacuations in a frontline area suffering from acute shortages of food, medicine, and clean water, reuters.com reported on Tuesday.
Russia and Ukraine Halt Shelling Near Kherson
Russia’s defence ministry announced via Telegram that shelling in the direction of the Ukrainian city of Kherson halted at 4:00 a.m. Moscow time (0100 GMT). Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s parliament commissioner for human rights, confirmed the start of the ceasefire on Facebook, writing that the Ukrainian side is honoring its commitments.
The agreement centers on Oleshky, situated on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River opposite Ukrainian-held Kherson. Russian troops seized the municipality during the initial days of their February 2022 invasion. According to White House statements, the local population has plummeted from approximately 24,000 residents before the war to between 1,700 and 2,000 people today, including about 50 children. About 90 percent of the city sustained flooding following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam.
The White House stated that US First Lady Melania Trump helped secure the Oleshky ceasefire. Ukraine’s top negotiator, David Arakhamia, noted on Telegram that the humanitarian operation would proceed once the truce took effect. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Moscow’s agreement while adding that Russian and Ukrainian military commands were still working out specific implementation dates and logistics.
| Entity / Official | Platform / Statement | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Russian Defence Ministry | Telegram | Stopped shelling toward Kherson at 4 a.m. Moscow time on Tuesday. |
| Dmytro Lubinets | Confirmed Ukraine is honoring its ceasefire commitments simultaneously. | |
| Dmitry Peskov | Kremlin | Confirmed agreement; noted militaries are finalizing dates and logistics. |
| White House | Official Release | Credited Melania Trump with brokering the truce; estimated 1,700–2,000 residents remain in Oleshky. |
Russian Missile Strikes Continue Amid Diesel Shipments
The humanitarian pause in Oleshky unfolds alongside wider hostilities across Ukraine. A Russian missile strike on Kyiv killed at least one person and injured ten others, including dormitory students. Additional casualties were reported in Kharkiv and Pavlohrad, accompanied by new explosions heard in Kyiv on Tuesday morning.
