A ceasefire has taken effect around the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, located in Ukraine’s Kherson Region, as part of an agreed humanitarian operation to evacuate local residents. The ceasefire was announced by Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets and the Russian Defense Ministry.
Ukraine’s ombudsman wrote on Telegram:
“Today, at 3 a.m. Kyiv time and 4 a.m. Moscow time, a ceasefire was introduced in designated areas connected with the humanitarian mission.
This is taking place as part of a humanitarian mission that we are carrying out jointly with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova, with the mediation and coordination of U.S. first lady Melania Trump.
The parties are observing the agreements that Yana Lantratova and I reached.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry also confirmed the ceasefire:
“In connection with preparations for a humanitarian operation in the area of the settlement of Oleshky in the Kherson region, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have ceased fire on the Kherson front and introduced a ‘regime of silence’ starting from 4 a.m. Moscow time on Oct. 27, 2026.”
As Lubinets previously said, before the evacuation begins, demining teams will first clear roads of explosives. Humanitarian aid will then be delivered to the city, and registration will begin for residents who want to leave Oleshky. The evacuation is expected to start only after those steps are completed.
The agreement on a ceasefire in Oleshky became public on Oct. 23. The White House announced it first, after which officials in Moscow and Kyiv confirmed the arrangement.
According to the latest estimates from Ukrainian authorities, about 2,000 people remained trapped in Oleshky under a complete blockade — without food, medical care, or a stable electricity supply. In addition to Melania Trump, Pope Leo XIV had also joined the efforts to secure a humanitarian corridor for residents of the occupied city, calling Vladimir Putin from a hospital and asking him to halt the fighting in Oleshky as soon as possible.
In late September, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty called for an immediate ceasefire in occupied Oleshky in order to allow unhindered access for humanitarian organizations and the safe evacuation of civilians. He said the humanitarian crisis in the city was rapidly worsening and that civilians, including children, were trapped without adequate food, medical care, running water, or electricity.
In early October, Ukrainian officials reported that the country’s National Guard had carried out a successful operation to deliver humanitarian supplies to Russian-occupied Oleshky. Drones delivered about 400 packages weighing nearly 4 metric tons in total. The shipments contained food, medicine, and supplies for children.
