A rare humanitarian corridor opened into the devastated Ukrainian city of Oleshky today, as Russia and Ukraine observed the largest truce yet in the four-and-a-half-year war sparked by Moscow’s invasion.
A convoy carrying food, medicine and emergency assistance was expected to reach the Russian-occupied city, made up of 25 buses and ambulances. The operation also aimed to evacuate residents seeking passage to either Russia or Ukraine.
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Authorities and volunteers estimate that about 2,000 people remain in Oleshky.
The local ceasefire in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson has held for four days and is scheduled to remain in place until Sunday evening.
“Those who choose to stay may remain and will receive all the humanitarian support they need.”
Russian and Ukrainian officials coordinated the mission, making it an unusually rare instance of cooperation between the two sides.
The United States played a key role, with the White House saying the operation was brokered by first lady Melania Trump.
Pope Leo XIV had also urged the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to assist Oleshky.
Yet beyond the city and nearby areas, fighting continued unabated.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences destroyed more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukraine’s air force, meanwhile, reported that Russia had fired ballistic and other missiles, along with scores of drones.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman and chief negotiator, said the convoy had assembled in Armyansk, a Russian-occupied town in southern Ukraine roughly 85km south of Oleshky.
Officials said engineers completed the demining of designated routes into the city late last night, but two people were killed during the operation.
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Mr Lubinets said evacuations would continue until 2pm local time, with humanitarian aid distribution scheduled to begin 30 minutes later.
It was not immediately clear whether he was referring to Ukrainian time or western Russian time, which is one hour ahead. Officials have not disclosed the route evacuees will follow.
Ukrainian-controlled territory lies only a few kilometres from Oleshky, across the River Dnipro.
Ksenia Arkhipova, a volunteer from Oleshky, said about 1,000 residents had told her they wanted to leave.
She said the presence of the Ukrainian delegation in Oleshky was vital because many residents feared they could be interrogated or detained by Russian authorities.
Authorities have invited a limited number of Russian, Ukrainian and US media organisations to report on the operation.
