A ceasefire has begun in the Russian‑occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky after US First Lady Melania Trump announced a truce, a week after Russian forces halted fire toward Kherson. The pause will let aid agencies deliver life‑saving supplies and help evacuate residents trapped between Ukrainian positions across the Dnipro River and Russian forces to the east.
Ukraine’s parliament commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, posted on Facebook that the ceasefire had begun and the Ukrainian side would honour its commitments. Oleshky, seized by Russia in the February 2022 invasion, had 24,000 residents before the war; today its population is estimated at just over 6,000, including 200 children.
The White House credited Trump for securing the truce, noting that non‑military, civilian leaders from both sides would visit Oleshky to assess needs. Trump, who has grown more involved in humanitarian issues around the Russia‑Ukraine war, once penned a letter to President Putin urging protection for children and future generations.
The truce follows Russia’s defense ministry announcement on Telegram that it had stopped firing toward Kherson at 04:00 Moscow time (01:00 GMT) in preparation for the humanitarian operation.
