Russia accuses Ukraine of strikes on Oleshky as US-brokered local ceasefire begins

Right · 1Russia's Defence Ministry said on Monday 26 October that Ukraine had struck the Russian-controlled southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky 18 times with artillery and carried out more than 120 drone attacks on it and the main roads around it since 19 October. 1 Right · 1Moscow said the attacks had thwarted deliveries of food and medicine and stopped people leaving; Reuters could not independently verify this, and Ukraine had not responded immediately. 1 Right · 1The accusation came ahead of a localised ceasefire that Ukraine and Russia announced on Friday 23 October, to begin on 27 October, allowing aid delivery and evacuation of residents through humanitarian corridors. 1 2

Centre · 1The ceasefire took effect early on Tuesday 27 October: Russia's Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov announced a 'regime of silence' in the Kherson direction from 4 am Moscow time, and Ukraine's General Staff said its ceasefire began at 3 am Kyiv time. 3 Mixed · 2The White House said first lady Melania Trump was the 'Exclusive Intermediary' for the deal, and quoted her as saying that without her intervention bringing in aid and evacuating the elderly 'would be impossible'; Pope Leo also urged both sides to let aid in. 3 2 Mixed · 2Under the arrangement, civilian representatives from both countries will assess residents' needs, those who wish to leave will be taken to destinations in either country, and an 'impartial American media organization' will document the process. 4 3

Mixed · 2Neither side has said when the truce will end; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it could last several days, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it would take several days because Russia must clear mines from roads. 3 4 Left · 1Zelenskyy said he expected Russia to clear the roads so that residents 'head toward Russia and stay there', adding 'They are not going to simply let people go'. 4 Mixed · 2Oleshky lies on the eastern bank of the Dnipro in Kherson region and has been Russian-held since the first days of the February 2022 invasion; its prewar population of about 24,000 has fallen to an estimated 1,700-2,000, many of them elderly. 2 3

Left · 1Both sides blame each other for the crisis: Kyiv accuses Russian forces of mining nearby roads and using residents as human shields, while Russia accuses Ukraine of 'laying siege to the town' with drone strikes and blocking aid. 4 Left · 1The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has said no food was delivered to the town after the end of May, and Ukrainian media have reported residents near starvation. 4 Mixed · 2Peskov said the truce might serve as a precedent for similar localised ceasefires, and NBC described it as an unprecedented halt in fire involving open US mediation, though the deal does not address the wider war. 2 4