Russia and Ukraine have agreed to temporarily halt fighting in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Oleshky so humanitarian aid can be delivered and civilians can be evacuated through a designated safe corridor.
The agreement is limited to Oleshky and nearby areas needed for the operation. It does not amount to a general ceasefire in the war, according to reports by Reuters, the Associated Press and the White House.
Aid and Evacuations
Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Russian forces would halt fire at 4 a.m. local time on Tuesday, October 27, to prepare for the humanitarian operation. The White House said the localized ceasefire and field operation would formally begin on Thursday, October 29.
The plan calls for routes to be cleared of mines, food, medicine and clean water to be brought into the city, and residents who want to leave to be transported through an agreed corridor. Civilian teams from both countries are expected to visit residents and assess their needs.
The White House estimates that 1,700 to 2,000 people remain in Oleshky, including about 50 children, compared with roughly 24,000 before Russia’s full-scale invasion. Around 90% of the city was flooded after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in 2023.
Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said the humanitarian operation would start once the ceasefire was in place. The Kremlin welcomed the agreement, while the White House said first lady Melania Trump helped broker it.
Further Talks Expected
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said technical delegations from Ukraine, Russia and the United States expect to meet in the first half of November. Abu Dhabi is being considered as the main venue, while a U.S. representative also mentioned Switzerland as a possibility.
No leaders’ meeting has been agreed, and the sides remain far apart over territory, security guarantees and the terms of any broader settlement. The Oleshky agreement therefore remains a separate humanitarian arrangement.
Russia and Ukraine also exchanged 270 service members each on October 23, the first prisoner exchange since August.