A ceasefire has taken effect in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky, which has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion in February 2022.
What happened
The ceasefire, negotiated with the help of US First Lady Melania Trump, began at 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday, allowing for humanitarian aid to enter the city and the evacuation of civilians.
According to Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament commissioner for human rights, the pause in fighting is part of a humanitarian mission being carried out with the mediation and coordination of Melania Trump, in cooperation with Yana Lantratova, Russia’s commissioner for human rights.
Melania Trump had previously described the situation in Oleshky as dire, with the city's remaining population, mostly elderly residents, in urgent need of medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water.
The White House stated that both Ukraine and Russia have agreed to temporarily stop all military action in Oleshky, allowing for humanitarian aid to enter and for the evacuation of civilians through a designated safe passageway.
