Kyiv and Moscow Halt Fire in Oleshky for Aid Delivery
A temporary truce began Tuesday to move supplies into the occupied town, following a push by the US first lady.
By Rebecca Kaminski ·
Russia and Ukraine started a localized ceasefire on Tuesday to allow aid into Oleshky.
Russian forces halted shelling toward Kherson at 4 a.m. Moscow time, according to the Russian defense ministry. The ministry stated the pause was necessary to prepare for the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, which sits across the Dnipro River from the Ukrainian-held city of Kherson. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner and head of the negotiating team, confirmed the start time on Facebook. He wrote, “As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honoring its commitments.”
The town has suffered severe shortages of food and medicine. The truce is designed to enable aid deliveries and allow residents to evacuate. Russian troops have controlled Oleshky since seizing it in the first days of the invasion in February 2022. The White House announced last week that US first lady Melania Trump helped secure this specific ceasefire.
Fighting continues in other parts of Ukraine. A Russian missile strike on Kyiv on Monday killed at least one person and injured 10. The victims included students in a dormitory. The attacks also caused casualties in Kharkiv and Pavlohrad. Witnesses reported new explosions in Kyiv on Tuesday morning.
The arrangement is limited to the area around Oleshky. No new timeline for the end of the truce was announced. The next major step is the physical transfer of supplies into the town.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
