Truce begins in wartorn Ukraine city after it was announced by Melania Trump

A truce has started in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, one week after it was announced by US First Lady Melania Trump.

The ceasefire is intended to permit aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians.

Russia’s defence ministry said on Telegram that it had halted fire toward the Ukrainian city of Kherson — across the river from Oleshky — at 04:00 Moscow time (01:00 GMT) ahead of the humanitarian operation.

Oleshky lies on the south bank of the Dnipro River, which marks the front line in the Kherson region. The people still living there have been desperately short of food and other essential supplies.

Ukraine’s parliament commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, confirmed in a social media post that the ceasefire had begun.

“As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honouring its commitments,” he wrote on Facebook.

Russia captured Oleshky in the first days of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Residents were left trapped with limited food between Ukrainian positions across the Dnipro River and Russian forces to the east.

Before the war, the city had a population of 24,000. Ukraine now estimates that about 6,000 people remain in the city and nearby areas, including 200 children.

The White House said last week that Melania Trump had secured the ceasefire in Oleshky.

“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 in a press release.

Although the US first lady is less visible than some of her predecessors and is only occasionally seen at White House events, she has taken part in efforts to address humanitarian issues arising from the Russia-Ukraine war.

In August 2025, she wrote a letter to Putin, telling him it was “time to protect children and future generations worldwide”.