The local ceasefire around the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshki has been expanded to most of Kherson region. The agreement is to provide access for food and medicine deliveries, and then allow the evacuation of civilians who want to leave the area.
Between 1,700 and 2,000 people remain in Oleshki itself, and several thousand more are blocked in surrounding settlements. People are without reliable access to food, water and electricity. The town is bordered by the Dnieper River and Russian positions, and exit routes are dangerous due to mined roads and continued attacks.
So far, no violations of the ceasefire, which came into effect on Tuesday night, have been reported. The Ukrainian ombudsman's spokesman, Dmytro Lyubinets, and the deputy head of the Kherson regional military administration, Oleksandr Tolonikov, confirmed the extension. Tolonikov said that Russian shelling had stopped both in Ukrainian-controlled Kherson and in the wider region.
Aid must precede evacuation
According to Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia, the ceasefire should last until November 1. After the humanitarian supplies, the evacuation of willing residents is planned for Friday. A local volunteer told the BBC that about 500 people have already expressed interest.
Details of the route and conditions of the evacuation have not yet been clarified. Some residents are hesitant to provide their names and addresses due to fears that their phones and online activity will be checked. Some also fear that Russia may not allow them to return to Ukraine.
According to the Financial Times, people who agree to be evacuated could first be taken to Crimea or Russia before being allowed to return to Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia could use demining to funnel evacuees into Russia and detain them there.
Residents describe a critical humanitarian situation
Many residents have told the BBC that they have resorted to cooking weeds from their gardens to survive. A woman who stepped on a landmine and underwent two operations said: “I don’t know how long I will have to stay there,” given the hospital she is in.
Locals told the Guardian that the front line across the Dnieper was quiet for the first time in years. Meanwhile, Russian drone units have repeatedly attacked civilians, ambulances and pedestrians in Kherson and other towns.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said everything was going “according to plan,” and thanked the United States for its mediation. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said that if the ceasefire works, it could “pave the way for further steps in the peace process“.
A UN commission has concluded that attacks on civilians in the Kherson region indicate a coordinated policy of forcing the population to leave the area and constitute crimes against humanity.
Sources: bta.bg, theguardian.com, apnews.com