KYIV — Russia and Ukraine have begun a regional ceasefire to allow the start of a humanitarian effort in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, where residents have been trapped without food, water and electricity, both sides confirmed on Tuesday.
The ceasefire should enable deliveries of aid as well as evacuations from the frontline town in southern Ukraine that is grappling with acute shortages of food and medicine.
Ukrainian officials and Russia’s defense ministry say the limited ceasefire is being respected.
“As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honoring its commitments,” Dmytro Lubinets, the parliamentary commissioner for human rights, said in a Facebook post confirming Russia’s timing of its halt.
Lubinets added that the deal was reached in coordination with US First Lady Melania Trump in cooperation with Russia’s commissioner for human rights, Yana Lantratova.
Oleshky, along the front line in the Kherson region, is trapped on one side by the Dnipro River, which separates it from Ukrainian positions, and on the other by Russian forces.
Many residents have resorted to cooking garden weeds to survive, telling the BBC they are suffering extreme hunger and want to leave.
Oleshky, home to 24,000 people before the war, was seized by Russia during the first days of its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine now estimates some 6,000 people, including 200 children, remain in the city and its surrounding areas.
Ukraine has attempted to deliver supplies but has not had success in recent months, and it is deemed too dangerous to risk leaving on foot along mined roads out of the city. The ceasefire is supposed to allow supplies to reach the city and enable its roads to be cleared of mines to allow people safe passage out.
It is hard to make contact with people in Oleshky as communication is patchy and many are reluctant to speak of the situation in fear of reprisals from the Russians, making it difficult to verify reports the ceasefire is being implemented.
Many details on the evacuation plans are unclear, initially including how and where to register for it. Some people want to know if they can bring their pets. Others are questioning what future they will have if they opt to leave their homes.
While people are optimistic about leaving, there are also fears that Russia may not allow them to return to Ukraine, or examine their phones and online activity for signs of Ukrainian support, which could see them being taken away and tortured.
Last month, the Kremlin acknowledged that Oleshky faced “a critical situation” and “problems with supplies of food and medicine”, but added that “Russia’s military was working to resolve them” and blamed Kyiv.
In response to the situation, the White House said last week that Melania Trump had secured a ceasefire, with no details on how long it would last.
Russia’s defense ministry said on Telegram it had stopped firing toward the Ukrainian city of Kherson, across the river from Oleshky, at 04:00 Moscow time (01:00 GMT) in preparation for the humanitarian operation.
While a truce is under way in Oleshky, elsewhere strikes continue.
New strikes on Tuesday hit the Southern Bridge and subway infrastructure in Kyiv, forcing a suspension of traffic, city officials said, while a Reuters witness heard explosions.
On Monday evening, attacks on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv hit a university and a bridge, killing one person and injuring 14 others.
In Russia, one person was killed and six others were injured after a Ukrainian drone strike on Bryansk.
Source: Saudi Gazette