Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire In Oleshky Brokered By US First Lady Takes Effect

ISTANBUL, Oct 27  (Bernama-Anadolu) -- A ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Oleshky, brokered by US first lady Melania Trump took effect at 0100GMT on Tuesday to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

An official press release was issued Friday by the White House confirming that the first lady had served as the "Exclusive Intermediary" to secure the localised agreement.

The development came amid worsening shortages of food, medicine and clean water in Oleshky, a frontline town located on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. Residents must also contend with limited access to electricity, mined roads and recurring military attacks, according to the White House.

“The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster,” Melania Trump said. “It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible.”

Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Moscow would implement a “regime of silence” in the Kherson direction from 4 am Moscow time on Oct. 27 to facilitate humanitarian operations.

“To ensure the safety of the population and the delivery of essential humanitarian supplies, engineering reconnaissance will be conducted, and the safe passage of a humanitarian convoy to the settlement of Oleshky, Kherson Region, will be facilitated,” the Russian Defence Ministry quoted him as saying.

Ukraine’s General Staff said it would implement a localised ceasefire from 3 am Kyiv time the same day to deliver humanitarian aid to Oleshky’s residents and ensure the safe, unhindered evacuation of civilians.

Under the arrangement, civilian representatives from Russia and Ukraine will assess residents’ needs. Those wishing to leave will receive coordinated transportation to destinations in either country, while a US media organisation will accompany the teams to document the process, according to the White House.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the duration of the operation remained uncertain but noted that it could last several days.

The truce comes as Moscow and Kyiv trade blame for the worsening humanitarian crisis in Oleshky, a city that Russian forces captured in 2022.

Oleshky had a prewar population of around 24,000, but estimates suggest that only 1,700-2,000 people remain, many of them older residents unable to leave.

The collapse of the Nova Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine in June 2023 triggered massive flooding in nearby communities, including Oleshky, that destroyed homes and forced thousands of people to flee, with Ukraine and Russia each accusing the other of deliberately destroying the dam.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU