Russian and Ukrainian officials said a localized ceasefire took effect in Oleshky at 9 p.m. ET Monday (01:00 UTC Tuesday), advancing a pause intended to help aid reach residents and allow civilians to leave.
Ukraine’s General Staff had scheduled the halt for 9 p.m. ET Monday, or 3 a.m. Tuesday in Kyiv. Russia’s Defense Ministry, citing Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, listed 4 a.m. Tuesday in Moscow. The White House’s Oct. 23 announcement named Thursday, Oct. 29, as the start date. EconoTimes previously covered the conflicting ceasefire schedules.
The White House said it had arranged for an impartial American media organization to travel with the teams and record the operation. Representatives from Russia and Ukraine would identify residents’ needs and organize transport for people choosing to leave, the White House said.
The White House estimates that 1,700 to 2,000 people remain in Oleshky, compared with about 24,000 before the war. It said there has been no formal population count since 2022 and described most residents who remain as older people needing medical care, medicine, food and clean water. The Associated Press reported that a humanitarian mission was planned for later this week.
