In brief
A ceasefire that started to bring food, medicine and water into the Russian‑occupied city of Oleshky has now covered the entire Kherson region, official sources say. Several thousand residents, cut off from basic services by flooding, mines and shelling, will receive humanitarian aid on Thursday and can leave by a planned evacuation on Friday. Moscow and Kyiv publicly endorse the truce and report no violations, while US First Lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV are credited with brokering the deal. Russian media echoes the truce’s effectiveness, and Ukrainian leaders suggest it could pave the way for further peace talks. The incident underscores the urgent need for safe corridors in a war‑stricken area.
A ceasefire that began with the aim of getting food and medicine into the Russian‑occupied city of Oleshky has been extended across the wider southern region of Kherson, sources confirm. Several thousand residents are trapped in the city with no access to food, water and electricity. On the one side of the Dnipro river are Russian forces; on the other are Ukrainian‑controlled roads that have become too dangerous for civilians to use.
The truce, which began early on Tuesday, has yet to see any breaches. US First Lady Melania Trump, who helped broker the ceasefire along with Pope Leo XIV, announced that the area covered had been expanded to provide safe passage for humanitarian convoys. The statement was later corroborated by the press secretary to Ukraine’s public ombudsman and by Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, deputy head of Kherson, who stated that Russian shelling had stopped both in Kherson city and the wider region.
Under the agreement, humanitarian aid will be delivered to Oleshky on Thursday, followed by evacuation for anyone wishing to leave on Friday. Estimates place the number of people remaining in Oleshky at 1,700 to 2,000, with a few thousand more in surrounding areas. Many residents have resorted to cooking garden weeds to survive and are desperate to leave.
Both sides say the ceasefire is being respected. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the operation as proceeding “according to plan” and praised US mediation, specifically the role of Melania Trump. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted that if the ceasefire yields results, it could pave the way for further steps in the peace process.
David Arakhamia, a key official in President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s parliamentary party, said the truce will remain in effect until 22:59 Ukrainian time on Sunday, 1 November, calling it the “largest de‑escalation since 2022.”
Before the war, Oleshky had a population of 24,000, but it has been under Russian occupation since February 2022. The city has had no electricity, gas or water since the Kakhovka Dam was destroyed in 2023, flooding the area and killing many residents. Conditions have become so desperate that getting supplies into the city is extremely difficult and routes out are mined and subject to drone attack.
One woman told the BBC she stepped on a landmine and is currently in hospital, having undergone two operations. She worries that she may not be able to join the evacuation.
The ceasefire will also enable roads to be cleared of mines for supplies, as Russia’s defence ministry reported engineering reconnaissance on main access routes. Many details about the evacuation plan remain unclear, but about 500 people have already expressed interest in leaving, according to a local volunteer.
Vladimir Saldo, the Russian‑installed head of occupied Kherson, said temporary accommodation has been prepared in the region, Russian‑annexed Crimea, and nearby Russian territories. He claimed most Oleshky residents want to leave the city for Russia, though his account has not been verified on the ground.
Zelenskiy warned that routes out of Oleshky might lead civilians into Russian territory, but he believes some will ultimately reach Ukrainian‑controlled areas. One resident, Serhii, claimed he had returned to Ukraine via Russia and Belarus and urged a route across the Dnipro that avoids Russian‑occupied territory, saying he could not trust the Russian Federation.
Bridges across the Dnipro have been destroyed and the riverbank is reportedly mined, making crossing into Ukrainian‑controlled territory impossible for many. In Kherson city, no explosions or drone‑related injuries have been reported since 03:00 on Tuesday, and people can move freely.
The ceasefire represents a significant pause in hostilities, but the humanitarian situation in Oleshky remains dire, with residents facing extreme hunger, lack of electricity, and fear of reprisals if they return to Ukraine.
