Russia and Ukraine Agree Local Ceasefire in Oleshky as New Peace Talks Loom in November

Russia and Ukraine Agree Local Ceasefire in Oleshky as New Peace Talks Loom in November

Russia and Ukraine have agreed a temporary local ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations, in a rare moment of cooperation in a war now well into its fifth year. The agreement, announced on October 23, is expected to take effect at 4 a.m. local time on October 27, and follows negotiations involving Ukrainian, Russian and United States representatives, with US First Lady Melania Trump reported to have played a coordinating role in the humanitarian arrangement.

Oleshky, in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, has been under Russian occupation since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The town, which had around 24,000 residents before the war, is now home to an estimated 1,700 to 2,000 people, many of them elderly. Residents have faced severe shortages of food, medicine and clean water, along with prolonged power cuts, and the planned operation is expected to proceed in stages, opening safe corridors for supplies and for civilians who wish to leave.

The pause comes as fresh diplomatic efforts gather pace, with technical-level peace talks between Ukraine, Russia and the US expected in the first half of November and Abu Dhabi named as a possible venue. But officials caution that the Oleshky arrangement is a limited humanitarian measure, not a nationwide ceasefire. Fighting continues: Russia launched 153 strike drones at Ukraine overnight from October 24, of which Kyiv says 119 were shot down, and the two sides remain far apart on territory and security guarantees.

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