Ukraine-Russia ceasefire expands across Kherson to aid trapped residents

A ceasefire originally meant for the occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky has expanded across the wider southern Kherson region to help bring in food and medicine.

The Truce Details

No breaches of the truce that began early on Tuesday have been reported, and both Russian and Ukrainian officials confirm shelling has stopped. The pause in fighting was brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV. Under the deal, the ceasefire will run until Sunday night and will be followed by humanitarian aid deliveries and evacuations planned for Friday. Between 1,700 and 2,000 people remain inside Oleshky itself, with several thousand more in surrounding areas, facing extreme hunger and cooking garden weeds to survive.

Context

Oleshky has suffered severe shortages of power, water, and basic supplies since the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in 2023. Military conflict in the region has left exit routes heavily mined and dangerous for civilians trying to flee.