Kherson: A six day humanitarian ceasefire around the Russian occupied town of Oleshky and surrounding areas in Ukraine's southern Kherson region ended on Sunday, November 1, after allowing hundreds of civilians to leave the area and essential supplies to reach people trapped by the fighting. However, the future of residents who remain in the town is uncertain as the wider war between Russia and Ukraine continues.
Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets confirmed that the ceasefire, which began on October 27, had ended. He said both sides had honoured their commitments during the operation, making it possible to deliver humanitarian assistance and organise civilian evacuations.
On Saturday, October 31, nearly 800 residents were evacuated from Oleshky during the humanitarian operation. The arrangement allowed civilians to leave through designated routes, with some choosing to travel to Ukrainian controlled territory and others opting to move to Russian controlled areas.
The evacuation involved a complicated journey through several locations. Residents were transported towards Crimea, while some continued through the Russian town of Anapa before travelling by air to Belarus and eventually reaching Ukrainian controlled territory. Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova said the operation involved 25 buses and nine ambulances.
In a separate operation on November 1, Ukraine reported that 167 civilians were evacuated from threatened areas of the Kherson region. The group included 22 children and 21 people with limited mobility. Ukrainian officials said the operation took place as the temporary ceasefire was coming to an end.
Lubinets said he was discussing the possibility of organising further humanitarian operations with Lantratova. The discussions are aimed at continuing cooperation to help civilians living in dangerous areas. However, no new ceasefire agreement had been announced by November 2.
A Ukrainian official also told AFP that Russia had rejected a proposal from Kyiv to extend the humanitarian ceasefire. This has raised further uncertainty about whether similar arrangements will be possible in the future.
The humanitarian operation followed growing international concern about the conditions facing people in Oleshky. The town, located on the left bank of the Dnipro River, has remained under Russian occupation since the early stages of the full scale invasion in February 2022. The Ukrainian controlled city of Kherson lies across the river.
Before the war, Oleshky had a population of approximately 24,000. Before the latest evacuation operation, estimates suggested that between 1,700 and 2,000 people remained in the town.
Residents have faced serious shortages of food, drinking water and medicine. Electricity supplies have also been disrupted, while access to medical treatment and other essential services has become increasingly difficult.
Frequent drone attacks and landmines have made movement dangerous, preventing many residents from leaving safely. The destruction of infrastructure and the town's location near the frontline have further worsened the situation.
The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine warned in June that civilians in occupied frontline communities, including Oleshky and Hola Prystan, were facing severe humanitarian conditions. It highlighted the risks from drone attacks, landmines, food shortages and limited access to medical assistance.
The European Union also expressed concern in October about the deteriorating conditions in Oleshky. It reported shortages of essential supplies, electricity and running water and called on Russia to ensure safe humanitarian access and respect international humanitarian law.
The humanitarian initiative received international diplomatic support. US first lady Melania Trump helped broker the local ceasefire following concerns about civilians trapped in the occupied town. Pope Leo XIV also appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow humanitarian assistance and safe voluntary evacuations.
The Pope welcomed the cooperation that made the operation possible and called for greater efforts towards dialogue and concrete peace initiatives. However, the Vatican clarified that it had not directly arranged the ceasefire.
Although fighting continued in other parts of Ukraine, neither side reported violations of the local ceasefire during its six day operation. The temporary agreement did not change the wider military situation or bring the two countries closer to a general ceasefire.
The end of the humanitarian arrangement leaves serious questions about the safety of civilians who remain in Oleshky and whether further assistance can reach them. Although the operation provided temporary relief to hundreds of people, shortages, security risks and limited access to essential services continue to threaten those living in the occupied town.
The cooperation between the two sides represents a rare example of humanitarian coordination during the war. However, without further agreements and sustained access to essential assistance, many civilians in the Kherson region will continue to face an uncertain future.