Ukraine says Russian forces reinforced Oleshky positions during humanitarian ceasefire

Russian forces strengthened their positions and expanded their logistics capacity during a ceasefire arranged for a humanitarian operation in Oleshky, Ukraine's General Staff said. Its account described military activity during the pause around the Russian-occupied city in Kherson Oblast, where an agreement allowed aid to be delivered and residents to leave.

According to the General Staff, Russian units rotated personnel, reinforced positions and increased protection against drones along roads. It also reported an expansion of logistics capacity, including ammunition deliveries. The Ukrainian military said Russian forces had used the humanitarian pause to make those improvements to their positions and supply arrangements.

The General Staff said Ukrainian defence units observed the ceasefire throughout the humanitarian operation and acted within the conditions agreed by the two sides. It contrasted that compliance with the activities it attributed to Russian troops, saying the pause had been used to strengthen Russian military positions in the area.

The same statement said observance of the ceasefire enabled humanitarian supplies to reach their intended destination. Ukrainian citizens who had indicated that they wanted to leave Oleshky also reached territory controlled by Ukraine. The General Staff presented those aid deliveries and departures as outcomes made possible by the pause in fighting.

The ceasefire had been announced by Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, with a scheduled start of 03:00 on 27 October. Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed the arrangement. The agreed period was due to run until 22:59 on 1 November, providing a window for the humanitarian operation in the Oleshky area.

Under the arrangement reached by the Ukrainian and Russian sides, residents leaving Oleshky were to travel through Russia and Belarus before entering Ukraine. That route formed part of the evacuation agreement. Lubinets' office provided an explanation for why the evacuees would be taken along that path.

On 31 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the humanitarian operation had been completed successfully. He reported that all Ukrainian citizens evacuated during the operation had crossed Ukraine's state border in Chernihiv Oblast.

Lubinets announced the ceasefire's conclusion on the evening of 1 November. In that announcement, he said both sides had fulfilled their commitments throughout the agreed period. The General Staff's account also affirmed Ukrainian compliance, while reporting that Russian forces had reinforced their positions during the humanitarian pause.