Ceasefire in occupied Oleshky: What humanitarian mission involves and what both sides say
Photo: People in Oleshky are suffering from hunger and a lack of medicine (t.me/dmytro_lubinetzs)
A ceasefire has been introduced in Russian-occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region to allow a humanitarian mission to deliver aid to civilians and prepare for the evacuation of residents. Both Ukrainian and Russian forces are currently reporting compliance with the ceasefire.
Read more about the ceasefire in Oleshky in the RBC-Ukraine material below.
What is known so far
Russian President Vladimir Putin informed the leaders of Norway and Finland about a US-mediated humanitarian operation in the area of Oleshky during a phone call held today, the Kremlin said. This is the first time in a long while that European leaders have held a conversation with Putin.
What is happening in Oleshky
A ceasefire came into effect at 03:00 am Kyiv time on October 27 in a designated area of temporarily occupied Oleshky. The Russian side said it had also ceased fire in the Kherson direction as of 04:00 am Moscow time.
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov announced the start of the humanitarian mission and a bilateral ceasefire in the area where it is being carried out.
According to him, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets had traveled to the site and would coordinate the process.
What is the purpose of the ceasefire
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the ceasefire was introduced exclusively to carry out a humanitarian operation. It involves:
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Delivering humanitarian aid to residents of Oleshky who remain in the city (an estimated 2,000 to 6,000 civilians are trapped there under blockade);
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Preparing for the safe movement of civilians and the evacuation of those wishing to leave;
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Creating conditions for humanitarian activities in the designated area.
The Ukrainian military urges people not to spread unverified information about the routes, times, and locations of movements by civilians and humanitarian convoys, and to follow official announcements.
Who is coordinating the humanitarian mission
The operation is being conducted with the mediation and coordination of US First Lady Melania Trump. Ukraine’s negotiating team is led by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, while the Russian team is led by Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova.
According to Lubinets, both sides are complying with the agreements reached during the negotiations. He promised to continue informing the public about the progress of the mission, with the safety of civilians being the top priority.
What Melania Trump’s team said
Mark Beckman, chief adviser to the US first lady, explained in an interview with Ukrinform that Melania Trump became interested in the situation in Oleshky after hearing about the plight of local residents during an event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
According to him, unofficial communication channels established during previous operations to reunite Ukrainian children with their families were used to organize the negotiations.
Beckman noted that Ukraine and Russia had agreed on mechanisms for implementing the humanitarian plan. However, the parties have not yet disclosed details of the security guarantees or their response to possible ceasefire violations.
What the Kremlin said about the ceasefire
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the ceasefire in Oleshky had come into effect. According to him, "no reports of violations have been received so far."
Asked how the evacuation of residents would be carried out — through Russia and Ukraine or only through Russia — Peskov replied that "the military will provide all information on the details."
Russia’s Defense Ministry also announced a ceasefire in the Kherson direction starting at 04:00 am Moscow time on October 27 in connection with preparations for a humanitarian operation in the Oleshky area.
How compliance with the agreements will be monitored
According to Beckman, the US proposed involving American television network Newsmax in covering the operation. Journalists are expected to document the progress of the humanitarian mission through video, photographs, and audio recordings.
He also said that Ukrainian and Russian civilian representatives would work on the ground to assess residents’ needs and assist with the evacuation.
Beckman said residents would be able to decide for themselves where they wanted to go — to Ukraine or Russia — or whether to remain in their homes. He also suggested that the ceasefire could be extended by mutual agreement if more time was needed to complete the humanitarian tasks.
Background
A critical humanitarian situation has developed in Oleshky, which is under Russian occupation. Local residents are facing shortages of food, drinking water, and medicine, as well as a lack of medical care and constant danger due to hostilities.
Deliveries of aid are complicated by mined roads and movement restrictions. Ukrainian forces previously delivered food to residents using drones, but this has been insufficient to fully meet the population’s needs.
Ukraine has repeatedly raised the issue of allowing humanitarian aid deliveries and enabling the evacuation of civilians. The current mission is intended to create conditions for delivering essential aid and organizing the departure of people who need to leave.
Read also: Mined roads, trapped civilians and human shield: The horror unfolding in Russian-occupied Oleshky
