Moscow/Kyiv, October 24(HS): Hopes have risen for civilians stranded in Oleshky, a frontline city in Ukraine’s Kherson region, after US First Lady Melania Trump helped secure an agreement for a temporary, localised ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine to facilitate humanitarian assistance and civilian evacuations.

According to an announcement by the White House on Friday, October 23, the two sides have agreed to temporarily suspend military operations in Oleshky from October 29. The arrangement is intended to allow essential supplies, including food, clean drinking water and medicines, to reach residents and to establish a designated safe passage for civilians wishing to leave the city.

The timing and practical implementation of the ceasefire are being coordinated by military authorities. The agreement is limited to Oleshky and does not constitute a broader ceasefire in the Russia–Ukraine war.

Oleshky, located in southern Ukraine across the Dnipro River from Kherson, is reportedly home to between 1,700 and 2,000 people, many of them elderly residents who have been unable to leave. The city’s pre-war population was approximately 24,000. Around 50 children are also reported to remain there, according to information released by the White House.

Residents face acute shortages of food, clean water, medicines and reliable electricity. Mined roads and the threat of military attacks, including drone strikes, have further complicated efforts to deliver supplies and evacuate civilians. The proposed truce is therefore expected to create an opportunity for humanitarian teams to assess urgent needs and organise safe passage for those seeking to leave.

Melania Trump described the situation as critical, warning that the city was on the brink of a humanitarian disaster. She said the remaining population, consisting predominantly of elderly people, urgently required medical attention, medicines, food and safe drinking water.

Under the proposed arrangement, civilian representatives from Russia and Ukraine will visit residents to assess their individual needs. Those wishing to evacuate are expected to receive coordinated assistance and transportation to their preferred destinations, whether in Russia or Ukraine. Melania Trump also said an independent American media organisation would accompany the teams to document the process and help ensure that residents’ wishes were respected.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov welcomed Melania Trump’s involvement, describing her contribution to the humanitarian initiative as significant. He said military officials were working to finalise the timing and operational arrangements for the ceasefire.

The initiative also involves cooperation between the human rights representatives of the two countries. Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, has described implementation of the agreement as a challenging undertaking, emphasising the need for a carefully coordinated operation.

Moscow has accused Kyiv of contributing to the humanitarian crisis and targeting routes used to deliver assistance. Russian Foreign Ministry envoy Rodion Miroshnik previously likened the situation in Oleshky to a medieval-style siege conducted with modern weapons and alleged that Ukrainian forces had prevented residents from leaving. These allegations have not been independently verified in the available reporting, and a response from Kyiv to the specific claims was not included in the source report.

According to the Kremlin, the humanitarian situation in Oleshky was also discussed during a telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump earlier this month. The two leaders reportedly agreed that Russia’s human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova, would maintain contact with Melania Trump’s office.

Attention is now focused on whether the localised ceasefire can be implemented effectively from October 29. If the arrangements proceed as announced, they could provide a crucial opportunity to deliver emergency supplies and help civilians leave a city that has endured prolonged conflict and deteriorating living conditions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar