The ceasefire that First Lady Melania Trump brokered in Oleshky took effect early on Tuesday at 3 am Kyiv time (01:00 GMT), coming earlier than the White House’s initial October 29 announcement. The pause in fighting began at 01:00 GMT on October 27, 2026, as confirmed by Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and the Russian defense ministry. The ceasefire is restricted only to the Russian-occupied front-line city of Oleshky in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region to allow humanitarian aid to enter the severely distressed town and to organize safe civilian evacuations. Active military strikes are continuing on other regions.Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s parliamentary human rights commissioner and head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, confirmed Tuesday that Kyiv was complying with the agreement. “As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honouring its commitments,” Lubinets said in a Facebook post.
Oleshky residents started to eat weeds to survive
Oleshky is trapped between the Dnipro River, which separates it from Ukrainian positions, and the Russian forces. Many residents told the BBC that they started cooking garden weeds to survive, as they are suffering from extreme hunger.Before the war, Oleshky was home to 24,000 people, but it was seized by Russia during the first days of its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Now, around 6,000 people, including 200 children, remain in Oleshky and its surrounding areas with only 1,700 still living in the city itself. Much of the city’s population has been displaced or evacuated. Escaping Oleshky is equally dangerous as staying in the city, as all routes out of the city have been mined and are subject to drone attacks. No shops are open in the city and there has been no electricity, gas, or water for three years.
What will happen during the ceasefire?
- According to reports, Russian engineering units will be clearing landmines along designated transit routes before humanitarian aids can enter the city.
- Bus evacuations through Russia-controlled territory will begin later in the week for residents opting to leave.
How did Melania Trump get involved in the Oleshky ceasefire ?
The White House said Melania Trump learned about the situation in Oleshky during a private discussion at her Fostering the Future Together event in New York City during the 81st United Nations General Assembly. “My representative and I immediately leveraged the communication channel we established with Russia and Ukraine through the previous six reunifications of 34 children. Both nations promptly assigned teams to coordinate the complex mechanics involved, including demining. All parties have worked around the clock since that moment,” Melania said.“The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster. Oleshky’s remaining population is comprised primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water,” said Melania Trump said. “The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads, and endure regular military attacks. It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible.”“Non-military, civilian leaders from both countries will work together to visit Oleshky residents in their homes and determine the level of assistance they require. Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine,” the First Lady said.