Oleshky pauses fighting to let in food and move people

Oleshky, a Ukrainian town on the south bank of the Dnipro River, entered a ceasefire at 04:00 Moscow time on Monday. The pause in hostilities was announced by US First Lady Melania Trump last week and is designed to facilitate the transport of food and the evacuation of remaining civilians. The town sits in the Kherson region, an area where fighting has left residents cut off from essential supplies.

Russia’s defence ministry confirmed via Telegram that it had ceased firing toward the Ukrainian city of Kherson across the river to support the humanitarian effort. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s parliament commissioner for human rights, verified the start of the truce on social media. “As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honouring its commitments,” Lubinets wrote on Facebook.

Before the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Oleshky was home to 24,000 people. Ukrainian officials estimate that approximately 6,000 residents remain in the city and surrounding areas. This group includes 200 children who have been trapped between Ukrainian positions across the river and Russian forces to the east. The population has faced severe shortages of food and other basic necessities in recent weeks.

The White House stated that Melania Trump secured the agreement to pause fighting. In a press release, she said that non-military civilian leaders from both nations would work together to visit residents in their homes. The goal is to determine the specific level of assistance required by each household. Trump has become increasingly active in addressing humanitarian issues stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war, a role that contrasts with the more public-facing approach of some previous first ladies.

This diplomatic effort builds on previous outreach by the US First Lady. In August 2025, she sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging action to protect children. That letter called it “time to protect children and future generations worldwide.” The current truce represents a concrete step in that broader humanitarian initiative.

The immediate next step involves the coordination of aid convoys into the town. Civilian teams from both countries are scheduled to enter the area to assess needs directly with families. This process will help determine the scale of future relief operations and evacuation plans for those who wish to leave the occupied zone.