Ukraine’s and Russia’s ombudsmen say Oleshky truce holds

Ukraine’s ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and Russia’s human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova said on October 29 that no violations of the Oleshky ceasefire had been recorded. Lubinets said the first 54 hours had passed without violations and that humanitarian cargo was being assembled for delivery on October 30.

The pause began at 03:00 Kyiv time on October 27 to allow food and medical supplies to reach about 2,000 people trapped in the Russian-occupied city and enable civilians who want to leave to do so. Lubinets said the agreement bars the use of all weapons throughout Kherson region and in other regions through which stages of the mission will pass.

Safe passage was still being prepared on October 29. Lantratova said Russian engineers were continuing to remove mines from roads for the humanitarian convoy. Lubinets said he was still travelling to Oleshky to observe the mission personally; Lantratova also said she and her team were on their way.

Months of shortages and blocked departures

Oleshky lies on the left bank of the Dnieper River in southern Ukraine, near Ukrainian-held Kherson. Russian forces occupied Oleshky on February 24, 2022.

Hromadske said food was last supplied to the city in late May 2026, residents were going hungry and Russian troops were preventing them from leaving.

Oleshky volunteer Ksenia Arkhipova told The Associated Press, in its report carried by France 24, that roughly 1,000 residents had told her they wanted to leave. She said a Ukrainian delegation’s presence mattered because many residents feared Russian authorities would identify people with pro-Ukrainian views or ties to Ukraine’s military.