Ukraine war latest: Oleshky ceasefire holds as Zelensky secures new aid pledges

Key developments on Oct. 28:

• Putin 'wanted very much' for Melania Trump to broker Oleshky ceasefire, first lady adviser says
• Ukraine reportedly strikes chemical, metallurgical plants in Russia
• Russia building new drone launch site near Millerovo airfield in Rostov Oblast, HUR says
• Netherlands announces 500 million euro military aid package for Ukraine
• 80% of Ukrainians back strikes on Russian refineries even if US cuts support, poll shows
• UK announces 'biggest ever' Ukraine support package of $13 billion in 2027
• Zelensky expects trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi by Nov. 10, but no firm date set

Russian President Vladimir Putin "wanted very much" for U.S. First Lady Melania Trump to mediate the ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in Kherson Oblast, Marc Beckman, her exclusive senior adviser, told the Kyiv Independent on Oct. 28.

"President Putin wanted very much for her to participate and also wrote a formal letter explaining that she…  would be recognized as the exclusive intermediary from Russia," Beckman said.

Beckman said the Russian military proposed moving the ceasefire forward by two days and expanding its geographic scope beyond Oleshky into other parts of Kherson Oblast to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries and evacuation preparations. Ukraine agreed to the proposal.

He described the changes as a sign of good faith, saying both sides had cooperated in implementing the agreement so far. "Their actions will speak for themselves ultimately, but what we've seen so far is tremendous cooperation from both sides," he said, adding that both parties had upheld the ceasefire's terms to date.

Oleshky, which had a pre-war population of around 24,000, has been under Russian occupation since the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Located across the Dnipro River from Kherson, the city has been effectively blockaded by Russian forces, which have prevented humanitarian aid from reaching residents.

The ceasefire — announced by the White House on Oct. 23 as being mediated by Trump and soon confirmed by Ukraine and Russia — is in its second day as of Oct. 28, and is expected to last into early November, as aid is brought in, key roads are demined, and residents are evacuated.

Ukraine reportedly strikes chemical, metallurgical plants in Russia

Ukraine's military reportedly launched attacks on several facilities within Russia linked to Moscow's military-industrial complex overnight on Oct. 28, Russian Telegram media channels reported.

Explosions sounded and fires burned in the Russian city of Lipetsk late on Oct. 27 following an attack by Ukrainian forces, Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova Plus reported.

A fire broke out in the area of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant after air defenses were engaged, according to the monitoring channel.

A 2025 investigation by Ukrainska Pravda found that the plant supplies Russian defense companies that produce air defense systems, drones, missiles, and other weapons.

Russia building new drone launch site near Millerovo airfield in Rostov Oblast, HUR says

Russia is building a new site for operating attack drones near Millerovo airfield, close to the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said on Oct. 28, citing satellite imagery.

The airfield is located in the village of Dolotinka in Russia's Rostov Oblast, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast.

According to HUR, the facility's design indicates it is intended for the preparation and launch of jet-powered attack drones, likely Geran-4 and Geran-5 models and their variants.

"The construction of the facility in the Rostov Region may be part of Russia's preparations to intensify its attacks on Ukrainian territory, particularly during the winter," HUR said.

HUR estimated that once construction is complete, the site could accommodate up to 100 drone launches per day.

The site's actual operational tempo will depend on several factors, including supplies of ready-made drones, the availability of fuel and warheads, the number of trained drone crews, equipment readiness and the missions assigned by Russia, the statement read.

As of late August 2026, there were no significant signs of active construction at the site. Since then, launch positions and other infrastructure for drone operations have been established, HUR said.

Netherlands announces 500 million euro military aid package for Ukraine

The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with a new military aid package worth 500 million euros ($557 million), President Zelensky said after visiting The Hague on Oct. 28.

"Thank you for the new military support package for Ukraine worth €500 million, which is being prepared right now – this fall," Zelensky wrote on social media after meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.

"This is truly significant, especially when it comes to repelling Russian air attacks."

The two leaders also discussed the U.S.-mediated peace process ahead of expected trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, cooperation in the energy and defense sectors, as well as the Bliksem air defense project, a pan-European effort to build an exo-atmospheric interceptor against medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

The news comes on the back of a Dutch ministerial visit to Kyiv, where the country's trade minister announced a package of non-military aid worth 1.2 billion euros (about $1.3 billion) for Ukraine, to be disbursed over the next three years and directed toward the country's economic recovery.

80% of Ukrainians back strikes on Russian refineries even if US cuts support, poll shows

The vast majority of Ukrainians want Kyiv to continue striking Russian refineries, even if the U.S. threatens to end or curb its support, according to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published on Oct. 28.

Some 80% of respondents back the continued strikes, even if Washington restricts intelligence sharing or Starlink operations. Only 11% said Ukraine should pause the attacks, despite Russia's ongoing attacks on the Ukrainian energy grid and other civilian facilities.

U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Kyiv to stop attacking Russian refineries, a key source of revenue for Moscow's federal budget that helps fund its war against Ukraine.

As Washington ramped up pressure, Ukraine said it had faced a temporary pause in U.S. intelligence sharing on incoming Russian ballistic missiles, restrictions on Starlink operations, and delays in Patriot air defense missile shipments.

The U.S. administration has denied ordering any restrictions to pressure Kyiv.

UK announces 'biggest ever' Ukraine support package of $13 billion in 2027

The U.K. is set to provide over 10 billion pounds ($13.3 billion) in support for Ukraine in 2027, British Finance Minister John Healey announced on Oct. 28.

The announcement came as part of Healey's presentation of the U.K. budget for 2027, and amid growing pressure from the EU and Ukraine for Kyiv's partners to step up their financial support to Ukraine.

"Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine poses a serious threat to U.K. prosperity and security," reads a social media post from the U.K.'s finance ministry.

"That's why this budget is providing over 10 billion pounds in additional support to Ukraine," the post reads.

"It was the biggest financial package ever committed to Ukraine by the U.K. and was a symbol of this government's commitment to ensuring Ukraine had the means to continue its courageous fight against Russia's illegal invasion," said U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the announcement as "a truly strong and very timely step — coming right as Russia needs to see and feel that Ukraine will not be left alone," in a social media post.

Zelensky expects trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi by Nov. 10, but no firm date set

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 28 he expects the planned Abu Dhabi peace talks with Russia and the U.S. to take place in mid-November, adding that Washington is yet to confirm a date.

"We need to have this meeting till the end of (next) month, I hope... between Nov. 6 and 10," Zelensky said at a press conference with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten in The Hague, adding that the location of the talks could still change depending on the situation in the Middle East.

"We are waiting for the American side, I think that they'll be ready with all the answers after the elections." Zelensky expects the U.S. to confirm a date around Nov. 4, a day after the U.S. midterms.

The Kremlin is also yet to confirm a timeline for the talks.

The planned meeting follows a renewed push by the U.S. to revive negotiations, which had effectively stalled as the Kremlin continues to demand that Kyiv cede Donbas, a strategically vital region in eastern Ukraine that Russian forces have been unable to capture fully.