Ukraine and Russia began a local ceasefire on Tuesday morning to allow humanitarian aid to enter the city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, which is under Russian occupation.
Ceasefire Agreement
The ceasefire came into effect at 3 AM local time (01:00 GMT), and both sides confirmed that this agreement was reached after negotiations initiated by Melania Trump, the First Lady of the United States. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces have halted artillery attacks in the Kherson region to prepare for humanitarian operations.
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Conditions in Oleshky
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner, also confirmed that Kyiv is committed to this agreement. He wrote on Facebook: "As the head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is respecting its commitments." However, there is no possibility for independent verification of the reduction in hostilities.
According to Ukrainian and American estimates, about 2,000 people, including 50 children, are still trapped in Oleshky. Before the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, the city had around 24,000 residents. The United Nations states that the residents of this city are facing severe shortages of food and medicine, and mines and drone attacks have made it difficult for them to leave the city.
Humanitarian Situation and Relief Efforts
Former residents of this city have told news agencies that those who remain are starving and sometimes resort to hunting pigeons or using produce from their gardens to survive. One resident named Olga said: "They have forgotten what bread is. Making bread requires flour, and there is no flour left."
Oleshky is located by the Dnipro River, opposite the city of Kherson, which is under Ukrainian control. Russian forces captured the city in the early days of the invasion in 2022, and in June 2023, further destruction occurred due to the collapse of the Kakhovka dam.
The White House announced last week that Melania Trump played a role in securing this agreement and has spoken with civilian negotiators from Russia and Ukraine. Relief teams, including doctors, food, drinking water, and medicine, are expected to arrive in the city before evacuation corridors are reopened.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said after recent attacks: "It is important for the world to see that Russia shows nothing but a desire to kill and continue the war." The limited ceasefire in Oleshky paves the way for a new round of peace negotiations between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv, expected to take place in November.
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