Oleshky aid convoy to move 2,000 civilians starting Oct. 27

The White House said Friday that Russia and Ukraine will halt all military operations in Russian-occupied Oleshky on Oct. 27 to let aid in and prepare an exit for residents. About 2,000 people are estimated to remain in the southern Ukrainian city, which has been under Russian occupation since February 2022. Residents have reported severe shortages of food, water and electricity, and some are surviving on weeds, boiled grass, bread and small rations.

First lady Melania Trump brokered the truce, according to the White House, with her representative working directly with Russian and Ukrainian leaders on terms. "Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine," she said.

The account differs from a longer record of talks. Ukrainian officials have said Moscow rejected earlier requests for a humanitarian pause. Pope Leo XIV, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the United Nations, EU officials and the Council of Europe have all urged a halt to fighting. On Oct. 18, Ukraine's ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said he believed an agreement was near and made no mention of a role for the first lady.

Lubinets told Reuters on Friday that the mission will involve demining roads into the town, delivering food and evacuating civilians. "A sufficient quantity of humanitarian aid will be delivered to meet the needs of everyone who requires it," he said, adding that officials want the effort to go beyond a one-off event and beyond Oleshky alone. Ukraine has spent weeks pushing for a civilian evacuation and has used drones to airdrop food and medical supplies into the town.

In a separate matter, Ukrainian forces continue to report slowdowns on the Starlink satellite network, though President Donald Trump said Elon Musk had lifted restrictions. Ukrainian officials said speeds stayed capped at about 100mph through Friday, and Serhii Beskrestnov, a military expert who advises Zelenskyy, said no lifting of the restrictions had been observed. The cap stops drones and other equipment from staying connected at high speed.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States are expected to resume in Abu Dhabi in November. Russia's demands include a Ukrainian withdrawal from eastern territory it still holds, a sharp cut in Ukraine's military size, and neutral status ruling out NATO membership. Late Thursday, Putin told a Russian state television reporter that the lands lost by Kyiv "are not their territory, they are Russia's historical lands." Russia launched another overnight barrage on Ukraine.

Separately, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said three tankers were heading to the United States and that Russian companies could supply 500,000 metric tonnes in October.