Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow “highly appreciates” the efforts of US officials, including First Lady Melania Trump, in securing the pause. He said a preliminary agreement to resume three-way peace talks with Ukraine and the United States in November does not restrict combat operations by either side.
Ukraine’s armed forces said the ceasefire in a designated part of the town, in the Kherson region, would begin at 03:00 Kyiv time on October 27. Russia’s command also announced a halt to fire from Tuesday. The White House had earlier given October 29 as the start date and credited Melania Trump with brokering the deal.
Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets told Reuters that Kyiv was working to extend the humanitarian mission to other towns.
The operation is to run in stages, with the truce followed by deliveries of food and medicine and then the evacuation of residents. Negotiators from both sides agreed that people could leave for either Ukrainian- or Russian-controlled territory, according to Ukrainian officials.
The White House said about 2,000 people, including 50 children, are trapped in Oleshky without food or drinking water. Many are elderly, ill or have no identity documents.
Russian forces have mined the roads in and out of the town for several months, and clearing them is key to getting aid in and people out. Russian drones also operate constantly in the area, according to reports.
Oleshky lies about 4 km (2.5 miles) from Kherson on the Russian-held left bank of the Dnipro river. It was flooded after the destruction of the nearby Nova Kakhovka dam.
Lubinets’ office has set up telephone lines for families and anyone with information on people in the town.
(jh)
Source: Polish Radio, PAP