Melania Trump says ceasefire has expanded as it takes effect around Russian-occupied city of Oleshky

Melania Trump says ceasefire has expanded in Kherson

Earthguardiansonline.com – Melania Trump says ceasefire has expanded beyond the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky to other areas of Ukraine’s Kherson region, widening a temporary humanitarian pause intended to help civilians leave and allow essential aid to move closer to the front line.

Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, said the arrangement began at 3:00 a.m. Kyiv time on Tuesday. Russia’s defense ministry said its forces halted shelling in the direction of Oleshky at the same time.

Oleshky has been under Russian occupation since the early days of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Ukrainian authorities estimate that about 1,700 people remain in the city, where residents have faced severe limits on safety, movement and access to humanitarian support.

Humanitarian routes widened across Kherson

Melania Trump says ceasefire has expanded to create safer passage for humanitarian convoys in the Kherson region. She said Russian General Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov confirmed that the area covered by the pause had been broadened.

According to Trump, the expanded pause began two days earlier than originally planned because of the urgent need to protect civilians and deliver relief supplies. The Office of the Ukrainian Ombudsman later said the ceasefire was operating across the Kherson region.

Lubinets described the effort as a humanitarian mission involving Melania Trump’s mediation and coordination, as well as Yana Lantratova, Russia’s commissioner for human rights.

“We’ve been working to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky since late February 2026. Things really started moving in September — thanks to Melania Trump. The US side is monitoring how each party is fulfilling its commitments,” Lubinets said on Ukrainian television channel 1+1.

He said representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States would be present after the road was cleared and aid was delivered. People who choose to leave for Ukrainian-controlled territory would be allowed to do so, he said.

“As soon as the road is cleared and the cargo is delivered, representatives from all three countries will be there. Anyone who wants to travel to Ukraine will be able to do so,” Lubinets said.

Kherson residents welcome a pause in attacks

Across the Dnipro River, residents of Kherson have also experienced the relative quiet. The city is Ukraine’s largest frontline city and remains exposed to attacks because of its position near Russian-held territory.

Russian forces captured Kherson in 2022 before Ukraine retook it later that year. Since then, civilians and infrastructure have remained vulnerable to repeated strikes, including drone attacks.

Zhanna Yakovleva, a Kherson resident, said people appreciated the temporary reduction in attacks but feared what could happen once the ceasefire ends.

“People are happy, but everyone’s afraid that after this ceasefire, they’ll give us such a beating that it’ll be beyond belief,” Yakovleva said. “That’s the reality, unfortunately.”

Two civilians have been killed in the Kherson region since October 20, while 38 people, including six children, have been wounded. Many residents have had to move in with relatives or friends after damage to their homes.

Yakovleva said the lull allowed people to go outside and inspect homes and apartments that had been difficult to reach during persistent drone attacks. She described the city as unusually quiet, saying residents had not experienced such a period since Kherson’s liberation.

Ceasefire remains limited in time and scope

Ukrainian lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia, a prominent peace negotiator, said the pause is expected to remain in place through November 1. He called it the broadest truce along the largest section of the southern Ukrainian front.

“This is the largest de-escalation effort since 2022,” Arakhamia wrote on Telegram.

By late Tuesday, Lubinets said both sides were observing the agreement in the designated areas. Lantratova also said no violations had been recorded and emphasized the importance of maintaining the commitments.

Melania Trump says ceasefire has expanded, but the arrangement does not apply to the wider war. Attacks and fighting continued elsewhere, including in Kyiv, where a 46-year-old woman was killed and more than a dozen people were injured. Ukraine’s Emergency Service said a bridge was also damaged.

Frequently asked questions

What areas does the ceasefire cover?

The humanitarian pause began around Oleshky and was later reported to cover areas across the Kherson region. Its stated purpose is to support aid deliveries and civilian evacuation routes.

Can civilians leave Oleshky?

Lubinets said residents who want to travel to Ukrainian-controlled territory would be able to do so after the road is cleared and humanitarian cargo is delivered.

How long is the ceasefire expected to last?

Arakhamia said the temporary arrangement is expected to last through November 1. The agreement is limited and does not halt fighting across Ukraine.