Russia and Ukraine began a localised Oleshky ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine on Tuesday, to allow aid deliveries and civilian evacuations. Both sides said the local truce had begun. Strikes continued elsewhere.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Telegram that it stopped firing toward Kherson, across the river from Oleshky, at 04:00 Moscow time (01:00 GMT) to prepare for the operation, according to BBC World.
Ukrainian parliamentary human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said in a Facebook post: "the Ukrainian side is honouring its commitments," BBC World reported.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, confirmed the ceasefire was in operation and said Lubinets will coordinate the process, according to the Guardian. The Guardian item was a headline and short excerpt only.
The White House said Melania Trump helped secure the truce, according to BBC World. It gave no details on how long the truce would last. The Moscow Times reported that the ceasefire was announced by the Trump administration last week.
Ukraine estimates that about 6,000 people, including 200 children, remain in Oleshky and surrounding areas. The town had 24,000 residents before the war, according to BBC World.
Russia seized Oleshky in the first days of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. According to the BBC, it has had no electricity, gas or water for three years. Residents report eating garden weeds. The Kremlin acknowledged last month a "critical situation" with food and medicine supplies but blamed Kyiv, the BBC reported. No independent confirmation of the Kremlin’s claims of Ukrainian blame is given.
According to the White House statement reported by the BBC, aid deliveries and civilian evacuation from Oleshky are planned for Friday. Civilian leaders from both countries are to visit residents.
The sources leave several gaps. BBC reports that communication with Oleshky is patchy and residents are reluctant to speak, so ceasefire compliance could not be independently verified. Evacuation details, including registration, pet rules and whether returnees will be allowed back into Ukraine, are unclear. Russia’s stance on the truce beyond its Defense Ministry statement is not detailed.
Separately, accounts of two other attacks differ. On the Bryansk drone attack, BBC World reports one person killed and six injured. The Moscow Times reports that Governor Yegor Kovalchuk said two people were killed and at least six wounded, including a 67-year-old man. On the Kyiv missile attack, BBC World reports one person killed and 14 injured in strikes that hit a university and a bridge. The Moscow Times reports at least one killed and 15 wounded, including students in a dormitory.
The Guardian’s claims that 280 drones and 16 ballistic missiles were launched at Ukraine are unverified. They come from Zelenskyy, as reported there.
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.