Trapped residents of the Ukrainian city of Oleshky fear being taken to Russia under the ceasefire brokered by Melania Trump
Devastation in Russian-occupied Oleshky, where a local ceasefire took effect at 3am to clear the way for an aid mission for the 6,000 people, including 200 children, trapped and desperately short of food and medicine.
About 2,000 civilians trapped in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, Kherson region, began registering for evacuation after Melania Trump's six-day ceasefire took effect at 3am Tuesday — but many fear Russian forces will redirect them to occupied Crimea or Russia rather than Ukrainian-controlled territory. Ukrainian Parliament Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets reported 30 hours had passed without a single incident by Wednesday. Putin described Oleshky as a "Russian settlement" in his 90-minute call with Nordic leaders, despite it remaining Ukrainian territory under international law.
Kherson city council deputy Oksana Pohomii warned residents fear Russia 'will not stick to their demands' and will block their return to Ukraine.
The ceasefire also brought rare quiet to Kherson city across the Dnipro River, with residents venturing out for the first time in months.
Trump meanwhile said a trilateral Putin-Zelensky summit will happen 'very soon,' with peace talks potentially starting as early as 10 November.
