A limited ceasefire has taken effect in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, where residents face severe food shortages and have been without electricity, gas and running water for three years.
Ukrainian officials and Russia’s Defence Ministry say the truce is being observed. The arrangement is intended to allow humanitarian supplies into the city and facilitate the evacuation of civilians on Friday.
US First Lady Melania Trump, according to the White House helped secure the ceasefire, which is expected to remain in place until 23:59 local time on November 1, Ukrainian lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia said.
Oleshky lies in the Kherson region, along the Dnipro River, which separates the occupied city from Ukrainian positions. Russian forces control the territory surrounding much of the area, making access to food and safe evacuation routes extremely difficult.
Residents have resorted to cooking garden weeds to survive, with some telling the BBC they are experiencing extreme hunger and want to leave.
However, fears remain that the ceasefire could collapse. One resident told the BBC: “I don’t believe in Russia’s humanity.”
Ukrainian authorities estimate that up to 6,000 people, including 200 children, remain in Oleshky and surrounding areas. About 1,700 are believed to be living in the city itself.
Before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Oleshky had a population of about 24,000. Russian forces seized the city during the early days of the invasion.
Conditions have deteriorated so severely that bringing supplies into the city is difficult, while leaving is dangerous because roads have been mined and are vulnerable to drone attacks.
The humanitarian situation has drawn international attention. Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow food and medical supplies into Oleshky and ensure a safe evacuation. He also urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to cooperate with Moscow on a ceasefire.
The current truce is expected to allow humanitarian deliveries and the clearance of mines from roads intended for civilian evacuation.
One woman told the BBC that she had stepped on a landmine and was in hospital, where she had undergone two operations.
“I don’t know how long I will have to spend there,” she said, expressing concern that she might be unable to join the evacuation.
Residents told the BBC last month that only one hospital remained partially operational, opening a few days a week to carry out critical procedures, including amputations.
Communication with Oleshky remains unreliable. Many residents are also reluctant to discuss conditions because they fear reprisals from Russian forces, making independent verification of reports about the ceasefire difficult.
Details of the evacuation have remained unclear, including how residents should register and where they should go. Some have also asked whether they can take their pets, while others are worried about what will happen to their homes if they leave.
Also Read: Musk accuses Ukraine of violating Starlink terms
“It is critically important that this mission to rescue our people proceeds successfully and safely,” Kyrylo Budanov, head of Zelensky’s office, said on Tuesday.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its Dnepr military group had been conducting engineering reconnaissance and clearing main access roads of explosives and booby traps.
Although many residents are hopeful about leaving, some fear they could be prevented from reaching Ukrainian-controlled territory. Others worry that Russian forces may inspect their phones and online activity for evidence of support for Ukraine, potentially exposing them to detention and torture.
A person in contact with relatives in Oleshky told the BBC there were fears that shooting could resume during the evacuation and that Ukraine could be blamed for any breakdown in the truce.
The Kremlin acknowledged last month that Oleshky faced a “critical situation” and problems with food and medicine supplies. It said Russian forces were working to address the shortages while blaming Kyiv for the situation.
The White House said last week that Melania Trump had helped secure a ceasefire to support the humanitarian operation.
Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, said he had travelled to the area to coordinate the mission.
“This is part of a humanitarian mission being carried out with the mediation and co-ordination of US First Lady Melania Trump, in co-operation with Yana Lantratova, Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights,” Lubinets wrote on social media.
The White House said civilian representatives from both countries would work together to visit residents in their homes and assess their assistance needs.
Russia’s Defence Ministry also said it had stopped firing towards the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson, across the river from Oleshky, at 04:00 Moscow time in preparation for the humanitarian operation.
Ukraine’s military general staff said a communications blackout was being observed for humanitarian reasons and warned people against spreading unverified information about evacuation routes, timings and the movement of aid convoys.
Zelensky has warned that roads cleared by Russia could direct evacuees towards Russian territory rather than Ukrainian-controlled areas. However, he said some residents would reach Ukrainian-held territory “one way or another” and expressed hope that those trapped could evacuate to their intended destinations.
Melania Trump has taken an occasional role in humanitarian issues linked to the Russia-Ukraine war. In August 2025, she wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to protect children and future generations worldwide.
While the truce is in effect in Oleshky, fighting and strikes continue elsewhere in the conflict.
On Monday evening, attacks on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, hit a university and a bridge, killing one person and injuring 14 others.
In Russia, one person was killed and six others injured in a Ukrainian drone strike on Bryansk.
BBC News
