The longest truce of the Ukraine war, limited to just the Kherson region, is set to end this evening after neither side announced an extension. The pause in fighting began early Tuesday, permitting a humanitarian mission to the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky as the conflict grinds through its fifth year.
Evacuees reunite with families after crossing borders
Evacuees from Russian-occupied Oleshky reunited with their families on Saturday after crossing into Ukrainian-held territory. The rescue operation began Friday under the most significant truce since Russia’s full-scale invasion four and a half years ago. Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, shared video footage on social media of residents stepping off buses draped in Ukrainian flags after crossing the border. Evacuees ranged in age from just over one year old to 94, bringing pets including dogs, cats, a parrot, and a raccoon. The White House stated that Melania Trump helped broker the localized deal, while Pope Leo XIV pressed Russia and Ukraine to allow aid deliveries and evacuations. Relatives and volunteers with the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières and World Central Kitchen welcomed the arrivals.
⚡️ Russia's Ombudswoman #Lantratova: Our mission in #Alyoshki has concluded. Aid delivered. Residents could freely choose to go Russia or Ukraine.❗️ I propose making such missions a regular practice, coordinated by @FLOTUS, & thank her for the help.https://t.co/tFLAV9Sv4Z pic.twitter.com/6RSKdFon4Y
Russian forces use calm to amass troops
Neither side reported violations after the truce began, in what one Ukrainian MP described as the “biggest de-escalation since 2022.” However, a Ukrainian military officer speaking anonymously expressed concern that fighting would worsen once the pause ended. Russian forces positioned across the Dnipro river used the calm to amass new troops, transport ammunition stocks, and collect intelligence using surveillance drones. Meanwhile, fighting continued elsewhere. Ukraine’s energy ministry reported fresh power outages, including in Kyiv, following Russian strikes. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that overnight drone attacks on energy and railway infrastructure left 280,000 households without power in the Dnipro and Kyiv regions. In the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, Ukrainian strikes killed four people, according to Russian-installed authorities. Ukrainian media reported that Kyiv attacked the Kstovo oil refinery east of Moscow, which it called one of Russia's largest oil refineries, producing fuel and lubricants.
Talks resume following frozen diplomatic relations
US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to resume this month, having been frozen since the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran in February. Russia currently occupies roughly a fifth of its neighbor, including the Crimean peninsula annexed in 2014, most of Donetsk and Luhansk, and large parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. The Congressional Ukraine Caucus welcomed the cease-fire while raising alarms over potential forced deportations by Russia. Russian and Ukraine completed a humanitarian mission in occupied Kherson Oblast successfully as civilians returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long did the Kherson region truce last?
The localized cease-fire began early Tuesday and is scheduled to last until Sunday evening.
How many people remained in Oleshky before the evacuation?
An estimated 1,700 to 2,000 civilians remained trapped in the Russian-occupied city when the temporary truce took hold.
During the humanitarian mission in Oleshky, Ukrainian military personnel also evacuated 167 civilians from the right bank of Kherson OblastDuring the ceasefire regime introduced in designated areas of Kherson Oblast for the humanitarian mission in Oleshky, the Defense Forces of… pic.twitter.com/wcSIIulnwy
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