By Basant El-Faramawy
A six-day ceasefire in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky has held for its first 30 hours, officials said Wednesday, marking the first significant truce since Russia's invasion more than four years ago.
Humanitarian Mission Underway
The localized truce began Tuesday and is scheduled to last through Sunday to allow a humanitarian operation to deliver food and medicine to about 2,000 remaining residents and evacuate those who wish to leave. The effort was brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, and Pope Leo XIV urged both presidents to allow aid access.
Officials Confirm No Violations
Russia's ombudsperson Yana Lantratova and Ukraine's human rights ombudsperson Dmytro Lubinets both reported no ceasefire violations in Oleshky during the first day and night. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for Melania Trump's role, saying Ukraine is ready to receive evacuees.
Fighting Continues Elsewhere
Despite the truce in Oleshky, hostilities persisted elsewhere. A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv overnight wounded five people, including a four-year-old child, and caused a major fire. Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 531 Ukrainian drones from late Tuesday through early Wednesday, with attacks damaging apartment buildings and industrial infrastructure in two Russian regions and injuring five people.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue
The ceasefire coincides with U.S.-led plans to bring Russian and Ukrainian officials back to the table next month for technical talks on ending the war, though neither side has shown signs of backing down from core demands.
