Kherson,Oct 29:
A local ceasefire in the devastated Ukrainian city of Oleshky has held for its first 30 hours, officials said on Wednesday, allowing humanitarian efforts to deliver food and medicine and evacuate civilians.
The six-day truce in the Russian-occupied city in the southern Kherson region began on Tuesday and is scheduled to continue through Sunday. Around 2,000 residents remain in the city and urgently need humanitarian assistance.
Russian human rights ombudsperson Yana Lantratova and Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Lubinets said there had been no ceasefire violations in Oleshky during the first 30 hours.
The humanitarian operation aims to provide essential supplies and establish safe routes for residents wishing to leave. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the efforts, while the White House said US First Lady Melania Trump had helped facilitate the mission.
Pope Leo XIV has also urged the Russian and Ukrainian presidents to allow humanitarian aid into the city and ensure the safe evacuation of civilians.
Despite the local truce, fighting continued elsewhere. A Russian drone attack on Kharkiv wounded five people, including a four-year-old child, while Russia said its air defences had intercepted hundreds of Ukrainian drones.
The ceasefire offers temporary relief to Oleshkyâs residents, although a wider agreement to end the war remains elusive.