Local ceasefire in besieged Oleshky begins, Ukrainian, Russian officials say

A localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine went into effect in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky on Oct. 27, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said in a social media post.

"A ceasefire came into effect today at 3 a.m. Kyiv time (4 a.m. Moscow time) in designated areas related to the humanitarian mission," Lubinets said.

The temporary halt in fighting is meant to allow an aid mission into the city in southern Ukraine later this week. Fighting is supposed to remain frozen until at least Saturday, according to the Associated Press.

"As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honoring its commitments," Lubinets said. He added that the agreements were reached in negotiations with Yana Lantratova, head of the Russian negotiating team.

The Russian Defense Ministry also announced that Russian forces had stopped fighting the area in preparation for the humanitarian mission.

The ceasefire, credited to the mediation of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, covers Oleshky and surrounding areas in Kherson Oblast. It is meant to allow the safe evacuation of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Oleshky has been under Russian occupation since the early days of the full-scale invasion. Located just across the Dnipro River from Kherson, it has been effectively blockaded by Russian forces, who prevent humanitarian aid from entering.

Residents face severe shortages of food, water and electricity. Mined roads and constant drone attacks make safe evacuation virtually impossible, and civilians trying to flee on the only roads in and out of the city are frequently targeted by drones.

The move comes as the worsening humanitarian crisis in the city has drawn international attention in recent weeks, including from Pope Leo XIV.

Within minutes of the Oleshky ceasefire beginning, Russian forces launched a wave of ballistic missiles at other parts of Ukraine, including Kyiv.