Russia and Ukraine Begin Limited Ceasefire to Pave Way for Humanitarian Operation in Oleshky

Russia and Ukraine announced on Tuesday that they had begun a limited ceasefire to allow for the launch of a humanitarian operation in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated via the Telegram app that it had halted shelling toward the Ukrainian city of Kherson starting at 4:00 AM Moscow time (01:00 GMT) in preparation for the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, located on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River from Kherson.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament's Commissioner for Human Rights, confirmed in a Facebook post that the ceasefire began at the same time.

He said: "As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is adhering to its commitments."

Russia and Ukraine agreed to a limited ceasefire around the town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, which is under Russian control, allowing for the delivery of aid and evacuation operations from the frontline town, which suffers from acute shortages of food and medicine.

Russian forces seized Oleshky during the first days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The White House announced last week that US First Lady Melania Trump helped broker the ceasefire in Oleshky.