Ukraine war: Ceasefire in place: Aid operation for front-line city in Ukraine underway

Kiev - The Russian and Ukrainian military forces have halted hostilities to enable a humanitarian aid operation for the besieged city of Oleshky in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Chernihiv region. The Russian side confirmed in the early hours of the morning that a ceasefire began at 3:00 AM local time and would last for a humanitarian operation surrounding the city that has been under siege for months.

During this time, food and medicine are to be delivered to the suffering residents, and preparations are being made to restore freedom of movement for those still in Oleshky. Since Oleshky is completely surrounded, Ukrainian forces have temporarily used drones to drop aid supplies into the city, but many of these unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by Russian forces.

As part of the agreement, mines are to be cleared to create a secure aid corridor. It remains unclear whether the remaining 2,000 inhabitants can leave the city. The humanitarian ceasefire stems from an initiative by the White House, according to Washington. The U.S. administration claims that First Lady Melania Trump brokered the local ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev.

The Ukrainian General Staff emphasized that the temporary ceasefire was only for the humanitarian operation. "We urge all to exercise extreme caution with the information you receive and disseminate during this period," the General Staff stated on Telegram. "Do not trust unverified reports and do not spread rumors about routes, times, and places where people and humanitarian convoys are moving."