Russia halts strikes on Ukraine’s Kherson as Oleshky ceasefire takes effect

The localised ceasefire, secured by US First Lady Melania Trump, will allow evacuations and aid deliveries to Oleshky.

A rally demanding the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to evacuate Ukrainian civilians from the town of Oleshky in Kherson region, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 6, 2026 [File: Alina Smutko/ Reuters]

Russia has suspended strikes on the Ukrainian province of Kherson as a localised ceasefire takes effect ahead of a humanitarian mission led by the United States’ First Lady Melania Trump.

The pause in fighting started at 01:00 GMT on Tuesday, according to the Russian Defence Ministry, to allow for an aid mission into the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Kherson later this week.

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The mission will enable aid deliveries and allow evacuations from the front-line town, which is suffering acute shortages of food, medicine and other basic supplies.

The agreement was announced on October ‌23 and brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, with the additional involvement of Pope Leo, as Washington seeks to revive peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv after more than four and a half years of fighting.

Up to 2,000 people remain in Oleshky. They have been unable to leave because of explosive mines and drone attacks in the area, according to the United Nations.

Destroyed cars are seen on a highway from the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region of Ukraine [File: Ukrainian 34th Separate Marine Brigade “Borysfen”, via AP]

The town, which had a pre-war population of 24,000 people, lies on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in the partially occupied Kherson region, opposite Kherson city, which is held by Ukrainian forces. Russian troops seized Oleshky during the first ⁠days of their February 2022 invasion and have controlled it ever since.

Oleshky has suffered extensive war damage and was hit hard by flooding after the destruction of the nearby Kakhovka Dam in 2023.

The localised ceasefire is due to last through Saturday, or longer, amid deep mistrust between Russia and Ukraine that has thwarted previous attempts at ceasefires.

Negotiators involved in the aid mission said doctors, medicines, food supplies and water would be taken to Oleshky before evacuation corridors are opened.

在美国第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普的斡旋下，局部地区停火，这将允许向奥列什基撤离人员和运送援助物资。

2026年10月6日，在乌克兰基辅，一场集会要求建立人道主义走廊，以便从赫尔松州奥列什基镇撤离乌克兰平民，当时俄罗斯正在袭击乌克兰。[图片：Alina Smutko/路透社]

在由美国第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普率领的人道主义援助行动开始前，俄罗斯暂停了对乌克兰赫尔松省的空袭，局部停火协议生效。

据俄罗斯国防部称，战斗暂停于格林尼治标准时间周二凌晨 1 点开始，以便本周晚些时候向俄罗斯占领的赫尔松南部城镇奥列什基派遣援助任务。

罗马尼亚称，俄罗斯控制的破坏网络在一家武器工厂附近纵火（共3条记录，第1条）

联合国将俄罗斯对乌克兰能源基础设施的三项袭击中的第二项列为战争罪行。

三个欧洲国家承诺加强对乌克兰的防空支持，名单之三

此次任务将使援助物资能够运送到前线城镇，并允许人员撤离。该城镇正遭受食品、药品和其他基本物资严重短缺的困境。

该协议于 10 月 23 日宣布，由美国第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普斡旋，教皇利奥也参与其中。华盛顿希望在莫斯科和基辅之间持续四年半的冲突之后，重启和平谈判。

据联合国称，奥列什基仍有多达2000人滞留。由于该地区存在爆炸性地雷和无人机袭击，他们无法离开。

在乌克兰赫尔松州奥列什基市（被俄罗斯占领）的一条高速公路上，可以看到被毁坏的汽车。[图片来源：乌克兰第34独立海军陆战队旅“鲍里斯芬”，来自美联社]

这座战前人口为24000人的小镇位于第聂伯河东岸，地处部分被占领的赫尔松州，与乌克兰军队控制的赫尔松市隔河相望。俄军在2022年2月入侵乌克兰的最初几天就占领了奥列什基，并一直控制至今。

奥列什基遭受了严重的战争破坏，并在 2023 年附近的卡霍夫卡大坝被毁后遭受了严重的洪水灾害。

由于俄罗斯和乌克兰之间根深蒂固的不信任，此前的停火尝试均告失败，此次局部停火预计将持续到周六或更长时间。

参与援助任务的谈判人员表示，在疏散通道开放之前，医生、药品、食品和水将被运往奥列什基。