Oleshky Ceasefire Set for Late October

The White House announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a temporary ceasefire in Oleshky, a city in Russian-occupied territory. The arrangement is scheduled to begin on October 29 and aims to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians.

According to the White House, Oleshky currently holds between 1,700 and 2,000 residents, including approximately 50 children. This represents a sharp decline from the pre-war population of roughly 24,000. Officials stated that approximately 90 per cent of the city is flooded following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, which complicates access to essential supplies.

Melania Trump was credited with securing the terms of the truce, having worked directly with leaders from both nations. In a statement, she described the situation as dire, noting that the remaining population is predominantly elderly. She emphasized the urgent need for medical care, medicine, food, and clean water for those still in the front-line city.

The deal requires non-military teams from both countries to visit residents in their homes. These teams will help arrange transport for anyone wishing to leave for either Russia or Ukraine. The White House stated that a designated safe passage will be established to support this civilian evacuation.

David Arakhamia, Ukraine’s top negotiator, confirmed the agreement on Telegram. He noted that the process involved both Melania Trump and Pope Leo. The Kremlin also praised the U.S. First Lady and stated that work is underway to ease conditions in the city. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly told Pope Leo by telephone last week that he was ready to co-operate on the issue.

Valery Gerasimov, the Russian Chief of the General Staff, specified that Russian forces will cease firing from 4 a.m. local time on October 27. This two-day pause is intended to support the humanitarian operation, which the Kremlin said would take at least a few days to complete once the full ceasefire takes hold.

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that technical-level talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are planned for Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. He told the Hudson Institute that he had spoken with U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Zelenskyy stated that any final peace deal would require strong security guarantees and 10 years of funding for Ukraine’s army.

Fighting continued on Friday as part of the wider conflict. Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport briefly suspended operations due to a Ukrainian drone threat. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that air defences downed 21 drones heading for the capital over two hours. The two sides also exchanged 270 prisoners each. Anton Kovalskyi, Ukraine’s acting prosecutor general, said more than 19,000 Ukrainian civilians, including 762 children, have been killed since the full-scale invasion began.