Oleshky ceasefire set for Oct. 27 after Trump-mediated deal

The White House announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a local ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. Under the terms, all military operations in the city will halt beginning October 27. This pause is designed to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid and to facilitate the evacuation of civilians.

Oleshky, located in southern Ukraine, has been under Russian occupation since February 2022. Residents have reported severe shortages of food, water, and electricity. An estimated 2,000 people remain in the city. Some residents are reportedly surviving on weeds, boiled grass, and limited rations. Both Russian and Ukrainian officials had indicated in recent weeks that a ceasefire agreement was near.

The White House stated that first lady Melania Trump brokered the truce. Her representative worked directly with leaders from both nations to establish the terms of the agreement. Trump said that residents wishing to evacuate would receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. She noted that she anticipates some residents will choose to travel to Russia while others will go to Ukraine.

Efforts to arrange a humanitarian pause have been ongoing for some time. Ukrainian officials previously claimed that Russia rejected earlier calls for a ceasefire. Pope Leo XIV, the United Nations, and European Union officials also urged for a truce. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's ombudsman, told reporters on Friday that he believed an agreement was close as recently as October 18, without citing the first lady's role at that time.

Ukraine has spent several weeks pushing for a civilian evacuation from Oleshky and nearby settlements. The military has used drones to airdrop emergency food and medical supplies into the town. Lubinets said the upcoming mission will include demining roads into the town, delivering food, and evacuating civilians. He stated that officials aim to deliver a sufficient quantity of aid to meet the needs of all residents and to extend the effort beyond Oleshky alone.

Separately, Ukrainian forces continue to report widespread disruption to the Starlink satellite network. This issue persists despite President Donald Trump's claim that Elon Musk had lifted restrictions on the service. The slowdown began last week after Trump and Musk publicly criticized Zelenskyy over continued strikes on Russian oil refineries. Both men have denied responsibility for the disruption. Trump told reporters on Friday that he had heard the issue was fixed but would speak with Musk if it was not.

Ukrainian officials said network speeds remained capped at about 100 miles per hour throughout Friday. Serhii Beskrestnov, a military expert advising Zelenskyy, said no lifting of the restrictions had been observed. The speed cap has prevented Ukrainian military equipment, including drones, from staying connected during high-speed movement. This has hampered offensive drone operations and efforts to intercept incoming Russian attacks.

Tensions between Ukraine and the US have risen due to the Starlink issue and complaints that Washington temporarily suspended intelligence sharing. These strains follow Washington's decision to lift sanctions on Russia and import Russian diesel to lower US energy prices before the midterm elections. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday that three tankers were heading to the US and that Russian companies could supply 500,000 metric tonnes in October. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US are expected to resume in Abu Dhabi in November.