White House Says Russia, Ukraine Agree to Oleshky Truce

The White House said Friday, Oct. 23, that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to temporarily halt military activity in Russian-occupied Oleshky, Kherson region, starting Oct. 29, to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and prepare civilian evacuations.

The announcement credited US First Lady Melania Trump with securing the local ceasefire. It said civilians who want to leave would receive coordinated assistance and transportation to a destination of their choice, either in Ukraine or Russia.

“Both nations agreed to temporarily stop all military action in Oleshky to allow for humanitarian aid to enter and to prepare a civilian evacuation through a designated safe passageway,” the White House said.

The White House statement said non-military representatives from Ukraine and Russia would visit residents at home to assess their needs. It also said Melania Trump had secured an “impartial American media organization” to accompany and document the work of both countries’ teams.

The organization was unnamed, and the statement did not detail how the ceasefire, aid deliveries or evacuation route would be monitored.

The Associated Press reported that neither the Ukrainian nor the Russian government immediately commented. The White House did not specify how long the truce would last or how many people would be evacuated.

Worsening humanitarian crisis

Oleshky, across the Dnipro River from Ukrainian-controlled Kherson, has been occupied by Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

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The White House estimates that between 1,700 and 2,000 people remain in the city, including about 50 children. Most residents are elderly, it said.

Melania Trump described the situation as “dire,” saying residents urgently need medical care, medicine, food and clean water. The city has limited electricity, mined roads and faces regular military attacks, according to the statement.

The announcement comes after months of warnings from Ukrainian officials and international organizations about conditions in Oleshky. Kyiv has said residents lack reliable access to food, water and medicine, while mines and drone attacks make it dangerous to leave. The city also suffered extensive flooding after the Kakhovka Dam collapsed in June 2023.

Earlier this week, Ukraine and Russia were discussing an evacuation arrangement for Oleshky and six nearby settlements. Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said the parties were working through unresolved details for a ceasefire and evacuation to Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Ukraine estimated that around 6,000 civilians, including up to 200 children, could remain across the seven settlements, with as many as 2,000 in Oleshky itself.

No evacuation date had been announced at that time. Lubinets said the negotiations were continuing daily and that difficult issues remained.

Evacuation terms and monitoring remain unclear

The White House announcement describes a broader arrangement, including home visits by civilian representatives, assessments of residents’ needs and transport to destinations chosen by evacuees.

It did not say whether those procedures had been discussed with the Ukrainian government or provide a breakdown of how residents would be moved through the designated safe passageway.

The statement also said the parties had been working on “technical procedures” and demining. It did not identify the exact route, the agencies responsible for aid deliveries or the role of international humanitarian organizations.

Kyiv has repeatedly called for access to Oleshky and safe evacuation of civilians. Earlier this month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the city as a “death trap,” saying residents faced severe shortages while exit routes and the nearby river were mined. Kyiv Post reported his appeal to the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross and international partners to help deliver aid and evacuate civilians.

The ceasefire is scheduled to begin Oct. 29. Its implementation, the opening of the aid route, and the safety of residents seeking to leave will depend on whether both sides confirm and follow the announced arrangements.