Russia strikes civilians amid humanitarian operation in Oleshky – Zelenskyy

Russia's willingness to accept a temporary ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky, despite its history of rejecting or violating ceasefire proposals, raises questions about the Kremlin's true intentions. Experts suggest that Moscow's motives extend beyond addressing the humanitarian catastrophe it itself caused. The highly publicized ceasefire, brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, offers several opportunities for Russia to manipulate facts on the ground, the international audience, and the White House as it positions itself ahead of new peace talks.

With Oleshky under Russian occupation since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the city has faced severe shortages of food, water, and electricity, as well as mined roads and constant drone attacks, making safe evacuation nearly impossible. By presenting itself as a heroically rescuing civilians, Russia aims to convince the world that Ukrainians under occupation would rather live in Russia than return to Ukraine.

The evacuation of residents provides an opportunity for the Kremlin to convince the world that Ukrainians would rather live in Russia than go back to Ukraine. Russia is also positioning itself to gain political gains from the ceasefire, such as bolstering its credentials to the MAGA base as peacemakers before the U.S. midterm elections and potentially securing a three-way talks deal with the U.S. Additionally, the Kremlin may be preparing to stage dozens of videos to portray a positive image, while Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warns that Russia is preparing to clear the roads in a way that forces people to head toward Russia and remain there.