PUBLISHED OCT 27, 2026 AT 06:51 AM EDT
By Taryn Pedler
Ukraine has confirmed it is honoring a localized ceasefire brokered with the involvement of first lady Melania Trump, as a humanitarian operation begins in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's parliamentary human rights commissioner and head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, confirmed Tuesday that Kyiv was complying with the agreement.
"As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honouring its commitments," Lubinets said in a Facebook post.
The temporary truce is intended to allow humanitarian aid to reach Oleshky, in the southern Kherson region, and enable civilians to leave the front-line town safely.
However, fighting has continued elsewhere in Ukraine, with Russian strikes reported in Kyiv and other cities.
What We Know About The Ceasefire
The agreement covers Oleshky, a town on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River that has been under Russian control since the early days of Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Before the war, Oleshky had a population of approximately 24,000. The White House estimates that between 1,700 and 2,000 people remain, including around 50 children.
Residents have faced severe shortages of food, medicine and clean water, while damaged infrastructure and the threat of further attacks have made daily life increasingly difficult.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Russian and Ukrainian representatives will coordinate a humanitarian operation involving the delivery of essential supplies and the evacuation of civilians who wish to leave.
Russian military officials said their forces would stop shelling toward Kherson from 4 a.m. Moscow time on Tuesday to facilitate the operation.
A woman looks at a crater in front of her house following a Russian strike in Za...Read More | AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko
Moscow also said it would undertake engineering reconnaissance and ensure safe passage for the humanitarian convoy during the operation, which is expected to take several days.
The ceasefire was initially announced by the White House on October 23, with Melania Trump's office saying it would begin on October 29. However, Russian military officials later announced an earlier start date, and both sides confirmed the truce was underway on October 27.
Why Melania Trump Got Involved
The first lady's intervention follows her previous efforts to reunite children separated from their families during the war.
According to the White House, the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky came to her attention during a private discussion at the Fostering the Future Together event in New York City during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in September.
Melania Trump said she and her representative then used an existing communication channel with Russian and Ukrainian officials, established through earlier efforts to reunite children with their families.
"My representative and I immediately leveraged the communication channel we established with Russia and Ukraine through the previous six reunifications of 34 children," she said in the October 23 White House statement.
"The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads, and endure regular military attacks," the first lady said. "It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible."
She added that both countries assigned teams to coordinate the operation, including the complex arrangements required for demining.
The first lady said civilian representatives from both countries would assess residents' needs and coordinate assistance and transportation for those wishing to evacuate.
"Non-military, civilian leaders from both countries will work together to visit Oleshky residents in their homes and determine the level of assistance they require," she said. "Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine."
Moscow also said it would undertake engineering reconnaissance and ensure safe passage for the humanitarian convoy during the operation, which is expected to take several days.
The ceasefire was initially announced by the White House on October 23, with Melania Trump's office saying it would begin on October 29. However, Russian military officials later announced an earlier start date, and both sides confirmed the truce was underway on October 27.
Why Melania Trump Got Involved
The first lady's intervention follows her previous efforts to reunite children separated from their families during the war.
According to the White House, the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky came to her attention during a private discussion at the Fostering the Future Together event in New York City during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in September.
Melania Trump said she and her representative then used an existing communication channel with Russian and Ukrainian officials, established through earlier efforts to reunite children with their families.
"My representative and I immediately leveraged the communication channel we established with Russia and Ukraine through the previous six reunifications of 34 children," she said in the October 23 White House statement.
"The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads, and endure regular military attacks," the first lady said. "It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible."
She added that both countries assigned teams to coordinate the operation, including the complex arrangements required for demining.
The first lady said civilian representatives from both countries would assess residents' needs and coordinate assistance and transportation for those wishing to evacuate.
"Non-military, civilian leaders from both countries will work together to visit Oleshky residents in their homes and determine the level of assistance they require," she said. "Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine."
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are seen at the Palm Beach C...Read More | AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
She also said she had secured an American media organization to accompany the teams and document the operation.
"This will play a significant role in ensuring that the wishes of each family are faithfully respected," the first lady added.
The White House described Melania Trump as having acted as an "Exclusive Intermediary" in negotiations with Russian and Ukrainian leadership, while the Kremlin has also acknowledged her involvement and welcomed the initiative.
Strikes Continue Outside The Ceasefire Zone
Despite the ceasefire agreement, there has not been a wider halt in hostilities.
Russian attacks continued elsewhere in Ukraine on Tuesday, with strikes hitting infrastructure in Kyiv and forcing the suspension of traffic on the Southern Bridge and parts of the city's subway network.
A Russian missile attack on Kyiv killed at least one person and injured 15, including students in a dormitory. Attacks also caused casualties in Kharkiv and Pavlohrad.
Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had targeted transport infrastructure in Kyiv, a logistics hub in the Kharkiv region and other facilities it described as being used for military purposes.
Meanwhile, a drone attack killed one person and injured six in the Russian city of Bryansk, as another drone strike on a bus in Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia killed one person and injured 30, according to local officials.
Russia and Ukraine have both denied deliberately targeting civilians.
The localized truce comes as Washington continues efforts to restart broader negotiations to end the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States are expected to meet for technical-level peace talks in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November.
UN Accuses Russia of War Crimes
The ceasefire also comes amid renewed scrutiny of Russia's conduct during the war.
On Monday, the United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said Russian authorities had committed war crimes by deliberately attacking civilian targets, as well as crimes against humanity through attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
The commission said the attacks had deprived civilians of essential energy supplies and caused widespread suffering, particularly during the winter of 2025-2026.
She also said she had secured an American media organization to accompany the teams and document the operation.
"This will play a significant role in ensuring that the wishes of each family are faithfully respected," the first lady added.
The White House described Melania Trump as having acted as an "Exclusive Intermediary" in negotiations with Russian and Ukrainian leadership, while the Kremlin has also acknowledged her involvement and welcomed the initiative.
Strikes Continue Outside The Ceasefire Zone
Despite the ceasefire agreement, there has not been a wider halt in hostilities.
Russian attacks continued elsewhere in Ukraine on Tuesday, with strikes hitting infrastructure in Kyiv and forcing the suspension of traffic on the Southern Bridge and parts of the city's subway network.
A Russian missile attack on Kyiv killed at least one person and injured 15, including students in a dormitory. Attacks also caused casualties in Kharkiv and Pavlohrad.
Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had targeted transport infrastructure in Kyiv, a logistics hub in the Kharkiv region and other facilities it described as being used for military purposes.
Meanwhile, a drone attack killed one person and injured six in the Russian city of Bryansk, as another drone strike on a bus in Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia killed one person and injured 30, according to local officials.
Russia and Ukraine have both denied deliberately targeting civilians.
The localized truce comes as Washington continues efforts to restart broader negotiations to end the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States are expected to meet for technical-level peace talks in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November.
UN Accuses Russia of War Crimes
The ceasefire also comes amid renewed scrutiny of Russia's conduct during the war.
On Monday, the United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said Russian authorities had committed war crimes by deliberately attacking civilian targets, as well as crimes against humanity through attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
The commission said the attacks had deprived civilians of essential energy supplies and caused widespread suffering, particularly during the winter of 2025-2026.
Firefighters tackle a blaze following a Russian air attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine, ...Read More | AP Photo/Andrii Marienko
Its findings also addressed the recruitment of foreign nationals into Russia's armed forces.
The report has added to international criticism of Moscow as Ukraine enters another winter under continued attack. Russia has rejected the commission's authority and dismissed its findings as being based on falsified data.
"As the cold season approaches, the attacks have intensified once again, raising serious concerns about the threats to civilians’ lives and health," said Erik Møse, chair of the UN commission.
The commission concluded that Russia had committed war crimes by intentionally attacking civilian targets.
Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment via email.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Tony Phillips.
Its findings also addressed the recruitment of foreign nationals into Russia's armed forces.
The report has added to international criticism of Moscow as Ukraine enters another winter under continued attack. Russia has rejected the commission's authority and dismissed its findings as being based on falsified data.
"As the cold season approaches, the attacks have intensified once again, raising serious concerns about the threats to civilians’ lives and health," said Erik Møse, chair of the UN commission.
The commission concluded that Russia had committed war crimes by intentionally attacking civilian targets.
Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment via email.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Tony Phillips.
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