Russia and Ukraine have started a localised ceasefire to allow a humanitarian operation to begin in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, both sides said on Tuesday, Reuters reported on October 27.

Source: Reuters via WTBX, Oct 27

Russia's defence ministry said on Telegram that it stopped shelling in the direction of the Ukrainian city of Kherson from 4 a.m. Moscow time (0100 GMT) to prepare for the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, just across the Dnipro River from Kherson, Reuters reported. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's parliament commissioner for human rights, confirmed in a Facebook post that the ceasefire had started at the same time. "As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honoring its commitments," he wrote.

Source: Reuters via WTBX, Oct 27

4 a.m. Moscow timeWhen Russia's defence ministry said it stopped shelling toward Kherson to prepare for the humanitarian operation
October 27The day the local ceasefire agreed by Ukraine and Russia last week took effect
24,000Oleshky's approximate pre-war population; Reuters reporting says only a few thousand people remain in the town

A town short of food and medicine

The arrangement will enable aid deliveries and allow evacuations from a frontline town suffering acute shortages of food and medicine, Reuters reported. Oleshky lies on the eastern bank of the Dnipro in Ukraine's southern Kherson region, opposite the city of Kherson, which is held by Ukrainian forces, and Russian troops seized it during the first days of their February 2022 invasion.

Source: Reuters via WTBX, Oct 27

The White House said last week that US first lady Melania Trump helped to secure the Oleshky ceasefire, Reuters reported. The two sides had announced the agreement last week, and on Monday Russia's defence ministry accused Ukraine of repeated strikes on the town ahead of the ceasefire — a claim Reuters said it could not independently verify.

Source: Reuters via WTBX, Oct 27; Reuters explainer, Oct 26

Earlier coverage

Awaaz Punjab reported on Monday that Russia had accused Ukraine of artillery and drone strikes on Oleshky in the week before the ceasefire was due to take effect. Read the earlier story

The pause is localised to Oleshky and does not amount to a wider ceasefire in the war: Reuters reported that new explosions were heard in Kyiv on Tuesday morning, a reminder that fighting elsewhere in Ukraine continues while the humanitarian operation gets under way.