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A six-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian city of Oleshky ended on November 1, AnewZ reported. The temporary pause enabled humanitarian aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians.
The ceasefire, which began on October 27, was agreed with the participation of humanitarian representatives from both countries and coordinated by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets confirmed the agreement had ended on social media platform X.
“The ceasefire in effect from October 27 to November 1 has ended. It was an important stage in our humanitarian efforts with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova, carried out with the coordination of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. During this period, both sides fulfilled their commitments. It was possible to deliver humanitarian aid to Oleshky and help civilians who wanted to leave the city do so safely. We are now considering future humanitarian initiatives with Yana Lantratova. It is important to preserve this cooperation mechanism to help people and save lives,” Lubinets wrote.
Ukrainian forces said 167 civilians had been evacuated from dangerous areas in the Kherson region. They included 22 children and 21 people with limited mobility. Melania Trump said nearly 800 people had left the area as part of a broader humanitarian mission.
Ukraine and Russia representatives discuss further initiatives
In an official statement on X, Melania Trump said the ceasefire had ended as planned. The mission, she said, delivered urgent humanitarian aid to the area and enabled the evacuation of about 800 people.
“The mission was successfully completed: essential aid was delivered to the region, and about 800 people were able to be evacuated. On behalf of the United States, I thank Russia and Ukraine for their leadership and cooperation on the Oleshky ceasefire. I hope Oleshky will be a foundation for lasting peace between the two countries,” Trump wrote.
She noted that the ceasefire began on October 27, 2026, and concluded as scheduled on November 1. Trump praised the cooperation between Russia and Ukraine.
Lubinets also said both sides had fulfilled their commitments. He said they were exploring ways to continue working with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova. According to Lubinets, the temporary agreement enabled humanitarian aid to reach Oleshky and residents to leave the city safely.
167 people evacuated from dangerous areas in Kherson region
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, military units in the southern direction, working with local authorities, evacuated 167 civilians from dangerous areas on the Ukrainian-controlled western bank of the Dnipro River. The group included 22 children and 21 people with limited mobility who needed additional assistance.
The General Staff said the operation took place along dangerous routes where mines, destroyed military equipment and damaged civilian vehicles were present.
In a post on her official Telegram channel on October 30, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova said the humanitarian mission involved 25 buses with a combined capacity of at least 750 passengers, nine ambulances and more than 50 medical workers.
Oleshky remains dangerous for civilians
Oleshky is on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, opposite the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson. Russian forces captured the city in February 2022, during the initial phase of the full-scale invasion. Ukraine later regained control of Kherson city and much of the western bank in the surrounding area.
The temporary ceasefire created a limited opportunity for humanitarian operations in an area where civilians face persistent security risks and restricted access to essential supplies. It did not, however, mean a halt to fighting across the country.
Kherson Region Governor Oleksandr Prokudin urged residents not to travel to dangerous settlements near the Dnipro River. He said Russian strikes continued to pose a threat to civilian lives.
Human rights commissioners from both countries have noted the possibility of future humanitarian operations. Lubinets said they were working to identify ways to continue cooperation with Lantratova. The Oleshky agreement also drew the attention of the Vatican: Pope Leo said he hoped humanitarian coordination would advance broader peace efforts.
No agreement has been announced to extend the ceasefire in Oleshky or to halt fighting on a wider scale.
In a separate statement on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that military operations were continuing. He claimed Ukrainian forces retook 96.2 square kilometers of territory in October, while 54,400 Russian troops were killed or seriously wounded that month.
“In October, Ukraine’s Defense Forces inflicted record losses on the enemy and retook more territory than the Russian occupiers captured. In one month, Russia lost 54,400 troops killed or seriously wounded. This is a record for any month of the full-scale war. A daily losses record was also set on October 21, when the Russian army lost 2,250 troops. We continue to reclaim our land. The Defense Forces liberated 96.2 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in October, 10.4 square kilometers more than the occupiers captured during the same period. To stop these staggering losses, Russia needs only to choose a ceasefire and diplomacy,” Zelenskyy wrote.
It remains unclear whether humanitarian coordination for civilians living in Oleshky and the surrounding Kherson region will continue without a new agreement. While both sides have expressed interest in further operations, no new humanitarian pause has been confirmed.
