Oleshky ceasefire extended to 1 November: demining, aid convoy and evacuation lists

Until Sunday night

The ceasefire around occupied Oleshky in Kherson region, which took effect at 03:00 on 27 October, will last until 22:59 on Sunday, 1 November, according to David Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People faction in parliament. “This is the largest de-escalation since 2022,” he wrote. The truce is part of US First Lady Melania Trump’s initiative to unblock the town, which had been cut off from food and medicine for months.

Oleshky lies on the left bank of the Dnipro, about nine kilometres in a straight line from Kherson. Russian troops occupied it in 2022, and in 2023 much of the town was flooded after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.

A first day without violations

Ukraine’s parliamentary human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said on the evening of 27 October that both sides were observing the agreement. According to him, there had been no incidents and no Russian advances since 3 a.m. BBC News Ukrainian also reported that the ceasefire was holding as of 17:30.

Roads leading to the town are now being demined. The next step is delivering humanitarian cargo: water, food, medicine and equipment for the local hospital. After that, representatives of three countries — Ukraine, the US and Russia — are to be present on site. The Americans will monitor whether each side meets its commitments; Lubinets said a document to this effect was signed by him and his Russian counterpart. According to the BBC, the evacuation is planned for Friday, 30 October.

Who can leave and where to

Residents will be able to choose: leave for Ukrainian-controlled territory, go to Russia, or stay at home. Ukraine and Russia are publishing information simultaneously, have released contact phone numbers and are compiling verified lists of who needs what kind of help. Transport is being arranged separately, including ambulances, as well as support for elderly people and those with limited mobility. Those who choose Ukraine will be escorted, met and given accommodation.

Government estimates cited by the BBC put the number of civilians trapped at between two and six thousand. Lubinets said there is a preliminary agreement that the mission could be extended to other settlements of the Oleshky community — “we are talking about thousands of civilians”.

Ukraine prepares to receive people

Minister for Communities and Territories Development Vitalii Bezhin told Ukrinform that preparations to receive evacuees are complete. After crossing the line, people will be examined at a transit centre and then placed in temporary accommodation or medical facilities. “According to preliminary estimates, about 60% of people may need medical care immediately, and we are ready to provide it,” he said.

Residents’ fears

The BBC spoke to Oleshky residents. People fear renewed shelling during the evacuation, filtration by Russian security services, and how to survive after leaving without housing or work. Communication with the town is patchy, and many are reluctant to speak for fear of reprisals. One man said there are more than 70 bodies in the local morgue that the authorities will not allow to be buried.

A step towards more?

Speaking at a press conference in Helsinki, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said: “If we see results in Oleshky, this could open the way to further steps in the peace process — as a confidence-building measure.” He thanked Melania Trump for her leadership and said the Ukrainian side was fully ready to meet its commitments.