A Russian drone struck a medical facility in Kherson early Monday morning, damaging the building while leaving no injuries reported by the head of the municipal administration, Yaroslav Shanko, on Telegram.
Russian Military Actions and the End of the Oleshky Ceasefire
The temporary truce, which began on a Tuesday and held until Sunday, marked the longest disruption of fighting in the five-year conflict, according to AFP. However, Russian forces refused an initial Ukrainian proposal to extend the pause. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the Russian military utilized the diplomatic break to rotate troops, fortify frontline positions, improve counter-drone defenses, and upgrade logistics. A Kremlin spokesperson characterized the tactical shifts as standard procedure, assuming Ukrainian forces did the same.
Following the expiration of the ceasefire, shelling and drone attacks resumed across Kherson and the nearby village of Antonivka. Shanko stated that two people sustained injuries from the renewed bombardment, which damaged residential and apartment buildings. Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the Kherson regional administration, reported that multiple settlements across the right bank of the Dnipro River faced renewed attacks.
Evacuation Numbers and Conflicting Reports from the Frontline
During the five-day humanitarian pause, teams evacuated 173 residents from frontline settlements on the Ukrainian-controlled right bank of the Dnipro River, according to Prokudin. In Oleshky, located on the occupied left bank, an organized convoy of buses and ambulances retrieved hundreds of stranded civilians facing severe supply shortages. While American and Ukrainian estimates placed the total number of evacuees near 800, Russian ombudsmana Yana Lantratovata asserted that the actual figure remained significantly lower than 750 because several vehicles departed empty, as reported by ČT24.
Conflicting accounts emerged regarding the destination of the departing transport vehicles. A Russian pro-war commentator initially published figures indicating 17 buses bound for Ukrainian-controlled territory and four heading toward Russia, though he deleted the posts shortly afterward. Independent journalist Alex Salvi, who accompanied the mission, similarly documented 11 buses traveling toward Ukraine against four heading toward Russian destinations. Evacuated residents included a 94-year-old senior and a one-year-old infant, alongside 105 domestic pets, according to Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinec.
Civilians describe severe deprivation inside occupied Oleshky
Civilians emerging from Oleshky described severe deprivation during years of isolation near the Dnipro River combat zone. Mychajlo Palij, a local resident reunited with his daughters after three years apart, told CNN that he converted his home to a primitive survival setup, keeping chickens and growing crops after utilities failed. Other residents recounted walking through active minefields to scavenge for food or boiling garden weeds when supplies ran out entirely, as detailed by Seznam Zprávy. The town had remained stripped of electricity, gas, and heating since early in the occupation.
THE CEASEFIRE CONCLUDESThe mission was a success, delivering critical aid to the region and enabling the evacuation of nearly 800 people. On behalf of America, I commend Russia and Ukraine for their leadership and cooperation surrounding the Oleshky ceasefire. I hope Oleshky… https://t.co/N6gQyZN7Ag
International observers and local officials noted contrasting approaches to the mission. While humanitarian workers delivered aid and evacuated vulnerable populations, local reporting highlighted that Russian forces concurrently rehabilitated artillery systems and prepared combat positions. Sky News noted that occupation authorities also cleared specific streets and removed human remains from local morgues before international observers and media entered the settlement.
Details of the Kherson region ceasefire brokered by Melania Trump
Who brokered the ceasefire in the Kherson region?
The White House confirmed that U.S. First Lady Melania Trump helped broker the multi-day pause in fighting specifically to establish a humanitarian corridor near Oleshky.
How many people were successfully evacuated from Oleshky?
While U.S. and Ukrainian estimates approached 800 evacuees, exact totals remain disputed as Russian officials maintained that fewer than 750 individuals left due to some vehicles departing empty.
What did the Ukrainian military say Russia did during the truce?
The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces used the break to execute personnel rotations, fortify defensive lines, and improve logistical supply chains along the frontline.
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