Ukraine and Russia prepare humanitarian ceasefire and evacuation in occupied Oleshky

Ukraine and Russia are preparing a localized humanitarian ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, in southern Ukraine's Kherson region, to allow civilians to be evacuated and aid to be delivered. The operation is limited in scope and does not amount to a wider truce, according to comments from former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. The town has been under Russian occupation since the early days of the full-scale invasion.

Yatsenyuk said the ceasefire should not be seen as a first step toward a broader agreement with Moscow. He rejected the idea that the arrangement could lead to a wider truce and said there was "no way" Russia would agree to one. His remarks came as Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed on Thursday that demining of evacuation routes had been completed and that a humanitarian convoy was ready to depart.

Evacuations were scheduled to continue until 2 pm local time on Friday, with aid distribution planned afterwards. The operation follows a six-day localized ceasefire brokered with the involvement of US First Lady Melania Trump. Questions remain over the fate of civilians who may want to leave, including those seeking to return to Ukrainian-controlled territory through a route involving occupied Crimea, Russia and Belarus.

The planned evacuation matters because it concerns civilians living in an occupied area where access to humanitarian assistance and safe movement is tightly constrained. It also carries diplomatic significance because the arrangement has been linked to US involvement, even as Ukrainian figures warn that Moscow may try to use the operation for propaganda purposes. Yatsenyuk accused Russia of treating remaining residents as hostages and of trying to present its forces as rescuers.

The former prime minister said Washington had a particular responsibility to ensure that civilians receive aid and are free to decide whether to return to Ukrainian-controlled territory. He also urged American journalists covering the operation to report independently and not repeat Russian narratives. His comments reflect wider Ukrainian concerns that limited humanitarian steps could be used to shape perceptions without changing the broader military or political situation.

What remains unclear is how many civilians will be evacuated, how many will choose to leave, and whether the arrangement will function smoothly on the ground. It is also not clear whether the localized ceasefire will have any effect beyond the immediate humanitarian mission. For now, the focus is on the convoy's departure, the evacuation window, and the delivery of aid after the operation concludes.

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