Ceasefire holds in Oleshky as humanitarian aid begins

A six day ceasefire in Oleshky, a city in southern Ukraine occupied by Russia, survived its first day and night without reported violations, according to officials on Wednesday. The localized truce began on Tuesday and is scheduled to last until Sunday. Its primary purpose is to allow humanitarian workers to deliver food, water, medicine, and doctors to approximately 2,000 residents who remain in the town. The operation also aims to open evacuation corridors for civilians who wish to leave.

Yana Lantratova, the ombudsman of Russia, and Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights ombudsman of Ukraine, both confirmed that the agreement held for its first 30 hours. This would mark the first time since the Russian invasion began more than four and a half years ago that both sides have maintained a substantial truce. Previous attempts to halt fighting have often collapsed quickly due to deep mutual distrust between the two governments.

The initiative drew attention from the White House, which stated that First Lady Melania Trump negotiated the humanitarian mission. Both Ukrainian and Russian officials expressed gratitude for her role. They appear eager to gain approval from President Donald Trump, who is currently pushing for a peace agreement. Pope Francis also contacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin this month, urging them to allow aid into Oleshky and ensure the safe evacuation of civilians, the Vatican reported.

Negotiators involved in the aid mission said medical staff and supplies would be sent to Oleshky before evacuation routes opened. Russian occupation forces impose strict limits on who can enter the town. As of Wednesday, officials had not provided specific details on the progress of the humanitarian operation on the ground.

The ceasefire coincides with plans for technical talks between Moscow, Kiev, and Washington. These meetings are expected to take place in Abu Dhabi in November. However, the date has not been set because the United States is waiting for developments in the Middle East. Zelenskyy told reporters on Tuesday that the timing depends on events in that region.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated in Helsinki that Kiev would never accept a formula at the expense of its sovereignty or territorial integrity. Zelenskyy added that Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke by phone with Putin on Tuesday. Both European leaders told Zelenskyy that the Kremlin was serious about discussing steps to deescalate the war. Potential measures include a pause in attacks on energy infrastructure and commercial maritime traffic, prisoner exchanges, and discussions on formats for future leader meetings.

Zelenskyy noted that Europe has quietly resumed contacts with Moscow through national security advisors and intelligence agencies since the Alaska summit between Putin and Trump last year. This shift follows a period of diplomatic isolation for the Russian leader. The Ukrainian president also highlighted a trend of Washington distancing itself from Kiev. He cited interruptions in vital satellite internet links and intelligence sharing, as well as a recent White House agreement to purchase Russian diesel and exempt the Kremlin from sanctions.

Zelenskyy pointed to delays in Patriot missile deliveries as part of this distancing. The war in Iran has depleted the US stockpile of these air defense systems, which Ukraine needs to stop ballistic missiles. Kiev now receives an average of 12 Patriot interceptor missiles per month. Zelenskyy said, 'Imagine this: you can count on receiving 150 missiles a year from the United States, but you have to shoot down 150 ballistic missiles a month.'

Fighting continued in other parts of the region. A Russian drone attack on Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine injured five people, including a four year old child. The Ukrainian State Emergency Service reported that a manned fighter jet strike caused a major fire that burned an apartment building, a private house, and an industrial structure. The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 531 Ukrainian drones between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The attack hit residential and industrial infrastructure in three Russian regions and left eight people injured.