Evacuations were underway Friday from the devastated Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, following a localized humanitarian ceasefire brokered by U.S. first lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV, NBC News reported.
The temporary pause in fighting, announced Oct. 23, took effect on Tuesday and is scheduled to expire at 10:59 p.m. Kyiv time on Sunday, according to reports. Ukrainian officials described the operation as one of the most substantial pauses in conflict since Russia began its full-scale invasion more than four and a half years ago.
Humanitarian Convoy Mobilized
A convoy consisting of 25 buses capable of holding 750 passengers, along with nine ambulances and over 50 healthcare workers, was organized to assist departures, according to Russia’s human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova. Routes leading into the settlement were cleared of landmines ahead of the operation, NBC News reported.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian human rights ombudsman, confirmed that Ukrainian monitors were present in the town. In a public statement reported by NBC News, Lubinets noted that the truce had held for more than 80 hours as officials spoke with residents about urgent relief needs.
Oleshky, located across the Dnipro River from Ukrainian-controlled Kherson, fell to Russian forces during the opening stages of the 2022 invasion. Due to heavy combat and widespread drone warfare, basic conditions deteriorated severely over recent months. NBC News reported that the town’s population has fallen from more than 20,000 residents before the war to roughly 2,000, with remaining civilians surviving on scarce supplies of grain and wild plants.
Diplomatic Effort and Lingering Doubts
The humanitarian initiative gained momentum after Pope Leo XIV reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Oct. 16 to plead for a break in hostilities, NBC News reported. Melania Trump’s office stated that she learned about the town during a United Nations event in September, utilizing contacts from her prior work reuniting Ukrainian children with their families to help finalize the arrangement.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that the framework could serve as a precedent for humanitarian ceasefires elsewhere, praising the direct and positive involvement of American negotiators and the first lady. However, the Kremlin emphasized on Friday that the temporary truce in Oleshky does not signal a willingness to expand the ceasefire across Ukraine, the BBC reported.
Many Ukrainians remain skeptical about Moscow’s motives, the BBC reported, noting suspicions that Russia aims to cultivate favor with the White House ahead of the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. In Kherson, residents expressed anxiety that Russian troops might use the quiet period to reinforce positions along the riverbank ahead of renewed fighting.
Fears Over Relocation Routes
Departing civilians also face logistical uncertainty. Even though Kherson sits just across the water, the designated escape corridor to Ukrainian-held territory leads through Russia and Belarus, sparking fears among some residents that they might not reach Ukraine, according to NBC News.
Other locals chose to remain behind entirely. One resident told the BBC she opted to stay because her animals were barred from the transport. Another woman, Olena, told the outlet that elderly relatives refused to abandon their homes despite severe hazards, recalling how wounded residents in the town have had to be moved using garden wheelbarrows.
Away from the designated corridor, hostilities continued unabated. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 96 drones and three missiles overnight as strikes hit 17 locations, Ukrainian authorities reported, while a Russian oil refinery in the Samara region was reportedly struck by Ukrainian drones.
