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Trapped without food, electricity, or medicine, civilians in occupied Oleshky finally have a chance to escape. But even those wishing to go to Ukraine will reportedly be taken to Russia first.
Source: Meduza
- A ceasefire took effect early on October 27 in Oleshky (called Alyoshki in Russian) in Ukraine’s Kherson region. Russia and Ukraine had agreed to halt fighting to evacuate civilians and deliver humanitarian aid to the Russian-occupied city, where a humanitarian catastrophe has unfolded. U.S. first lady Melania Trump helped the two sides reach the agreement.
- The ceasefire will last until 10:59 p.m. on November 1, said David Arakhamia, who heads the Servant of the People faction in Ukraine’s parliament and is a member of Ukraine’s negotiating team. Russia’s human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova, confirmed the timing. Arakhamia called the ceasefire in Oleshky “the biggest de-escalation since 2022.”
- Melania Trump said the ceasefire had begun two days ahead of schedule and had been extended beyond Oleshky to allow humanitarian convoys to pass safely. She said Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia’s General Staff, had confirmed this.
- Ukraine and Russia said on the evening of October 27 that both sides were fully observing the ceasefire. The Kremlin also said the humanitarian operation in Oleshky was “going according to plan.”
- Many details of the humanitarian operation remain unclear: which roads will be cleared of mines, where residents will be taken and how they will be evacuated, whether they will be allowed to go directly to Ukraine or stay in Oleshky, and where families with children will be allowed to go. The Financial Times reported that even those wishing to go to Ukraine will first be taken to Russia. The operation will be carried out in several stages.
- Petro Andriushchenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for the Study of Occupation, said the evacuation from Oleshky is scheduled for October 30. Information about residents who want to leave is being gathered in a rush, he said, adding that details of how the evacuation will proceed remain confidential for now. Andriushchenko suggested that departures would depend on how the roads are cleared of mines. He said Ukraine expects a route across the Dnipro River to be arranged so Oleshky residents who want to go to Ukraine can travel directly to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
- Oleshky residents may be evacuated to Russian-annexed Crimea or Rostov-on-Don, said Vladimir Saldo, the Russia-installed “governor” of the Kherson region. He said transportation and temporary accommodation had already been arranged for them. Saldo also said those wishing to go to Ukraine would receive help.
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