Limited Ceasefire Begins in Russian Occupied Ukrainian City of Oleshky

A limited ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia entered into force on Tuesday in the occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, aiming to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate trapped civilians.

The truce was secured by United States First Lady Melania Trump, according to the White House. Both sides agreed to observe the halt in fighting starting at 3:00 am local time.

Oleshky has suffered extreme deprivation since Russian forces seized the settlement during the opening days of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The population dropped from 24,000 before the war to about 2,000 residents remaining in the city itself, alongside thousands more in the surrounding area.

Residents have lived without electricity, gas, or running water for 3 years, with many resorting to cooking garden weeds to survive extreme hunger.

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Volodymyr Zelensky's office, spoke about the stakes of the operation on Tuesday.

"It is critically important that this mission to rescue our people proceeds successfully and safely," said Kyrylo Budanov.

The Russian defence ministry said units from the army's Dnepr group conducted engineering reconnaissance and cleared main access roads of explosive devices.

Army chief Valery Gerasimov said the safe passage of a humanitarian convoy would be facilitated to ensure the safety of the population.

Despite the agreement, severe doubts remain among the local population regarding the stability of the ceasefire and potential safety risks during departures.

"I don't believe in Russia's humanity," said one resident.

The reports conflict on the exact number of people remaining in the area, with Ukrainian estimates reaching 6,000 people including 200 children, while other figures suggest around 2,000 people live in the city itself.

Evacuating civilians remains dangerous due to mined escape routes, patchy communications, and fears of detention or reprisals for suspected Ukrainian support.

Three-way peace talks between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv are scheduled to resume in November following a months-long hiatus.