Midterm elections are beginning in the US, while the truce in Oleshky has ended – digest of the day
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Midterm elections are approaching in the US, and the ceasefire in Oleshky has come to an end – daily digest
Only one day remains until the midterm elections to be held in the US on November 3. Voting will take place for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate. In addition, governors will also be elected in a number of states. To win a majority in both chambers, the Democrats need just 3 additional seats in the House of Representatives and 4 in the Senate. Currently, Trump's fellow party members – the Republicans – hold the majority in the Senate.
Early voting reached record levels this year – more than 48 million Americans have voted so far. However, experts emphasize that these numbers do not indicate who the voters cast their ballots for.
Polls favor the Democrats. According to a poll by The New York Times and Siena University, Democrats are ahead in five of the seven decisive Senate races, while candidates are tied in Alaska and Iowa. Analysts express confidence in a Democratic victory in the House of Representatives, while the fate of the Senate remains uncertain. In a mid-October Reuters/Ipsos poll, US President Donald Trump's approval rating dropped to a record low of 31 percent.
Trump held his final campaign rally on November 1 in Salina, Kansas. In September, Trump promised to pay a $5,000 "Trump dividend" to every adult American if Republicans retain control of both houses of Congress.
The six-day local ceasefire announced in the city of Oleshky, Kherson region, expired on November 1. The ceasefire was agreed upon through the mediation of US First Lady Melania Trump and with the participation of the Pope. Initially covering only Oleshky, the ceasefire was later extended to the entire region. This became the longest local pause since the start of the war in 2022.
Oleshky, captured by Russia in February 2022, was surrounded by the Dnipro River on one side and Russian troops on the other. According to the BBC, residents suffered from shortages of food, water, and electricity. Many boiled and ate weeds from their gardens to survive.
During the ceasefire, residents were evacuated from the city by buses. Those wishing to cross into Ukraine flew through Crimea and southern Russia to Belarus, and returned home from there. On Sunday, the Ukrainian army evacuated another 167 people from dangerous areas of the region. In total, about 800 people have been evacuated.