Melania intervenes! White House: Russia and Ukraine have a partial ceasefire in Oleshki starting from 10/29

The White House said on the 23rd that First Lady Melania Trump helped broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky occupied by Russian troops, allowing humanitarian aid to enter and evacuate trapped civilians.

The Associated Press reported that the White House said the partial ceasefire was scheduled to begin on the 29th. The ceasefire negotiations were initiated by Melania. She and a representative directly negotiated with the leaders of Ukraine and Russia to finalize the ceasefire conditions. However, the Ukrainian and Russian governments have not immediately commented on the White House statement.

Oleshki is located on the south bank of the Dnieper River in Kherson Oblast. It is currently controlled by the Russian army and faces the Ukrainian army across the river. The local area has been short of food and medical supplies for months, and there is no electricity, heating, or running water. The roads leading out of the city are littered with landmines and destroyed vehicles, and drones hover in the sky from time to time, waiting for opportunities to strike ground targets.

The pre-war population of the place was about 24,000. In June 2023, the Kakhovka Dam exploded and burst, flooding the entire city. It is estimated that only about 2,000 people remain.

Hadja Lahbib, EU executive committee member for humanitarian aid, said earlier this month that the situation currently taking place in Oleški is "horrifying" and "unacceptable." Russia, as the occupying power, has clear obligations under international humanitarian law and must protect civilians and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid.