Local Ceasefire Set for Russian-Occupied Oleshky

The White House says first lady Melania Trump helped broker a pause in fighting around the Kherson-region city so aid can arrive and civilians can leave, starting Tuesday.

By Richthrax · Oct. 25, 2026

Russian and Ukrainian forces are set to stop firing around the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky early Tuesday, Oct. 27, under a local ceasefire the White House says first lady Melania Trump helped secure so humanitarian aid can reach residents and civilians can leave.

Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiators reached the deal Friday, Oct. 23, The Associated Press reported. Officials on all sides confirmed it, though many details have not been released.

"The situation in Oleshky is dire," Melania Trump said in a statement released by the White House, according to Al Jazeera. She said her representatives worked directly with "Russian and Ukrainian leadership to define the terms of the localised ceasefire."

When it starts

Russia's chief of the General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said Russian forces "will cease fire on the Kherson axis" from 4 a.m. Moscow time Tuesday "in connection with the humanitarian operation near Oleshky," Al Jazeera reported. He said Russian forces would also carry out "engineering reconnaissance" and ensure safe movement of a humanitarian convoy.

Ukraine's General Staff put the start at 3 a.m. Tuesday Kyiv time, because Ukraine turns its clocks back an hour Sunday and Russia does not, the AP reported.

Al Jazeera reported that an earlier White House announcement had given Oct. 29 as the start date. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman and chief negotiator, Dmytro Lubinets, said the ceasefire would begin Tuesday, two days before the aid mission starts, and last several days, according to the AP. He said it would cover the Kherson region and neighboring areas needed for the operation.

Aid first, then evacuation

Lubinets described three stages: a ceasefire, then humanitarian aid, then evacuation of civilians who want to leave, the AP reported. He said mines would be cleared on routes into the city before aid moves, and called the operation "extremely challenging to implement." He said it could serve as a model for future missions.

Russia's human rights ombudswoman, Yana Lantratova, said officials would first assess residents' needs and then deliver food, medicine and hygiene products, and that anyone wanting to leave the combat zone would be guaranteed safe passage, according to the AP.

Melania Trump said the truce would let an estimated 2,000 remaining residents who want to leave go to their "preferred destination" in Russia or Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said those who want to leave would be able to, and that evacuation would likely take several days, but did not say whether evacuees would go to Russian- or Ukrainian-held territory, the AP reported. Peskov said Moscow was grateful to the first lady.

Lubinets called Melania Trump's involvement "invaluable," according to PBS News. He gave no details on how the ceasefire would be monitored. Melania Trump said an unnamed "impartial American media organisation" would accompany Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground, Al Jazeera reported.

The White House said she began the effort after learning about Oleshky at an event during the U.N. General Assembly in September.

A city cut off

Oleshky, on the Dnipro River, had about 24,000 residents before the war. Russian forces captured it on the first day of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the AP reported. Residents now lack electricity, heat and running water, and roads out are mined. Each side has accused the other of blocking supplies, according to Al Jazeera.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not mention the Oleshky ceasefire in a remote appearance at the Hudson Institute on Friday, the AP reported. He has confirmed Ukrainian negotiators will attend U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November, according to Al Jazeera.