Longest truce of Ukraine war, in Kherson region, set to end

The longest ceasefire in the Ukraine war, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump and confined to Kherson region, was set to conclude on Sunday evening. Neither side had declared an extension. This uncommon pause in hostilities, which began on Tuesday, facilitated a humanitarian mission to Russian-occupied Oleshky city. The truce, which marked the biggest de-escalation since 2022, came as the war entered its fifth year.

A senior Ukrainian official informed Agence France-Presse that Ukraine had offered to extend the ceasefire in Kherson, to which Russia had declined. No violations were reported during the truce, described as a "breath of fresh air" by a Kherson resident. Pope Leo expressed hope that the temporary pause would bolster dialogue and lead to new peace initiatives.

Ukrainian military officials cautioned that renewed fighting could be worse than before when it resumed. Russia used the lull to reinforce troops, stockpile ammunition, and gather intelligence. On Sunday, both nations launched strikes in other locations. Russia claimed a drone hit an "industrial enterprise" east of Moscow, while Ukraine reported attacking the Kstovo oil refinery.

The latter is among Russia's largest refineries. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil and gas facilities as a response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. US President Donald Trump had urged Kyiv to halt such attacks, attributing rising diesel costs to the Iran war. US-mediated discussions between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to resume this month after being suspended since February when the United States and Israel conducted joint strikes on Iran.