Russia and Ukraine Begin Local Ceasefire to Allow Humanitarian Aid and Evacuations in Oleshky

Russia and Ukraine have begun a localised ceasefire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, opening a limited humanitarian window for aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians trapped by fighting and severe shortages.

The pause took effect at 01:00 GMT on Tuesday, October 27, according to statements from both countries, marking a rare instance of direct cooperation between the warring sides.

Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had stopped shelling towards the Ukrainian-held city of Kherson in preparation for the humanitarian operation.

Ukraine's parliamentary human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, separately confirmed that the Ukrainian side was observing its commitments under the arrangement.

The ceasefire is restricted to the Oleshky area and does not apply to the wider conflict.

The agreement is intended to allow humanitarian teams to deliver food, drinking water, medicine and medical assistance before establishing routes for residents who wish to leave.

Up to 2,000 civilians remain in Oleshky, according to United Nations estimates cited by the Associated Press. Many are elderly or have limited mobility, making evacuation particularly difficult.

Residents have endured severe shortages of basic necessities, while mined roads and drone attacks have made movement into and out of the town dangerous.

The White House said US First Lady Melania Trump helped negotiate the humanitarian arrangement through discussions involving Russian and Ukrainian representatives.

The agreement was first announced on October 23. Although the White House's original statement listed October 29 as the starting date, Russian and Ukrainian officials confirmed that the local ceasefire began on October 27.

Oleshky lies on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, opposite Kherson, which remains under Ukrainian control.

Russian forces captured the town during the opening days of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. It was subsequently devastated by flooding following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June 2023.

The humanitarian operation is expected to proceed in stages, beginning with the delivery of essential supplies before evacuation corridors are opened.

The Associated Press reported that the local ceasefire is expected to remain in effect through Saturday, although its duration could be extended.

Fighting elsewhere in Ukraine has continued.

Explosions were reported in Kyiv early Tuesday, shortly after the local ceasefire took effect. A Russian missile attack on the capital on Monday had killed at least one person and injured 10 others, according to Reuters.

The simultaneous developments underline the limited scope of the Oleshky agreement.

While both governments have confirmed the start of the ceasefire, independent verification of compliance throughout the designated area remains limited. The arrival of humanitarian convoys and the safe evacuation of civilians have not yet been confirmed.

The immediate test will be whether the two sides maintain the local pause long enough for essential supplies to reach residents and for vulnerable civilians to leave safely.