Russia Announces Oleshky Ceasefire To Begin On Oct. 27
Russia says its army will cease fire in Oleshky from Oct. 27 for humanitarian aid; Melania Trump says she secured the truce, which the Kremlin welcomed.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Russian army chief Valery Gerasimov announced on Friday that Russian forces will cease fire in the Kherson sector from 0100 GMT on Oct. 27, a truce aimed at allowing humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged Ukrainian city of Oleshky.
“The Russian army is ceasing fire in the Kherson sector and entering a regime of silence from 4 a.m. Moscow time (0100 GMT) on Oct. 27,” Gerasimov was quoted as saying by the Russian Defense Ministry.
US First Lady Melania Trump announced in a surprise statement on Friday that she had secured a local ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in Oleshky, where residents remain trapped and face food shortages.
In a White House statement, she said, “Oleshky is a frontline city, and it is on the brink of catastrophe.” She added that it was “entirely clear” that without her intervention, it would have been impossible to bring humanitarian aid into the city or evacuate its elderly residents.
The White House said Trump and her representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leaders to set the terms of the local ceasefire.
It said that, in her official role as exclusive mediator, she held discussions with both countries that enabled the two sides to agree on the objectives, technical arrangements, timetable, procedures, and terms of the deal.
Residents who wish to leave will receive coordinated assistance and transport to their chosen destination, she said.
The Kremlin also said that “we welcome the efforts of US First Lady Melania Trump, who made a significant contribution to coordinating the humanitarian process,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
A separate report on Trump’s announcement said the ceasefire was scheduled to take effect on Oct. 29, a different date from the one Gerasimov gave.
Residents face a growing shortage of food and medicine, according to people displaced from the city who spoke to AFP earlier this month. Ukraine and Russia both acknowledge a humanitarian crisis in the area, but each accuses the other of obstructing food deliveries and evacuations.
Russian forces took control of Oleshky, in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, in 2022 at the start of the invasion. The city was heavily damaged by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in 2023, which caused devastating flooding along the Dnieper River.
Moscow and Kyiv blame each other for it. The population has fallen from about 24,000 to about 2,000.
In October 2025, Melania Trump announced a “communication channel” with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukrainian children who were taken by Russian forces, saying she had secured the release of a limited group.
The 56-year-old first lady keeps a low public profile. In recent months she has launched several initiatives, including a program to help teenagers in foster care and efforts on women’s health and online bullying.
The announcement comes as US President Donald Trump steps up efforts to end the war, notably through closer ties with Putin and growing distance from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In early October, Trump announced an agreement between Washington and Moscow to supply Russian diesel to the US market while lifting sanctions on Russia, which drew sharp criticism from Kyiv and its allies.