Russia and Ukraine begin ceasefire in Oreshki town after US first lady mediates

(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) Russia and Ukraine both confirmed on October 27 that the two sides had ceased fire in the Oleshky area of ​​Kherson Oblast that day to conduct humanitarian operations. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on Telegram that the shelling of the Ukrainian city of Kherson (located on the other side of the Dnieper River, across the river from Oreshki) has stopped since 4 a.m. Moscow time. Ukraine's parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, also confirmed the start of the ceasefire on Facebook. He wrote, "As the head of the Uzbek negotiating delegation, I declare that Uzbekistan is fulfilling its obligations."

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the town of Oleshky in the Kherson Oblast of Ukraine was occupied by the Russian army. However, the town has always been an important town in the dispute between Russia and Ukraine, with constant artillery fire and isolation from the outside world.

It is estimated that about 2,000 of the original approximately 24,000 local residents still live there, and together with residents of nearby villages, as many as 6,000 people are in extremely difficult conditions. Earlier this year, some people who had lived in the town of Oreshki told AFP that those who remained in the town were hungry, lacked medicine and found it difficult to leave. The town of Oreshki is riddled with mines. The Ukrainian army has previously tried to use drones to deliver relief supplies to the area, but many of the drones were shot down by the Russian army.

In order for these residents to receive assistance, many parties, including Pope Leo XIV, have called for a humanitarian ceasefire. The White House recently stated that the humanitarian ceasefire was brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump. She initiated discussions and, along with a representative, negotiated the terms of the ceasefire directly with the leadership of Russia and Ukraine.

During the several-day ceasefire, food and medical supplies will be delivered to local residents. In addition, a humanitarian corridor will be established to allow people to leave the area and travel to other parts of Russia or Ukraine. Both sides will also clear landmines to open a safe channel for aid. Evacuation operations are expected to officially begin in the coming days.

In other parts of Ukraine, fighting continues. The Russian army used ballistic missiles to attack Kiev on the evening of October 26, causing casualties. An important bridge across the Dnieper River was damaged. The subway infrastructure on the bridge was also damaged. In addition, medical facilities and a school dormitory were damaged.

A bus was attacked by a drone in the Russian-controlled area of ​​Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine. Yevgeny Balitsky, the Russian-appointed administrator of the region, said the attack killed one person and injured 30 others.