Russia-Ukraine begin local ceasefire

Oleshky Russia and Ukraine began a regional ceasefire on Tuesday to facilitate a humanitarian operation in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, with plans to deliver essential supplies and evacuate civilians facing severe shortages of food and medicine. Both sides confirmed the halt in fighting around the frontline town, which lies on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region, opposite the Ukrainian-held city of Kherson. The arrangement is intended to create conditions for humanitarian assistance in an area affected by the ongoing war. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights and head of the country’s negotiating team, confirmed that Kyiv was observing the agreement. He said the Ukrainian side was meeting its commitments under the arrangement. Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had halted shelling towards Kherson from 4 a.m. Moscow time, describing the move as preparation for the humanitarian effort in Oleshky. Lubinets said the agreement had been reached in coordination with US First Lady Melania Trump and Russia’s human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova. Despite the localized ceasefire, hostilities continued elsewhere. Fresh strikes hit Kyiv on Tuesday, targeting the Southern Bridge and subway infrastructure, city officials said. The attacks forced a suspension of traffic, while explosions were also heard in the Ukrainian capital. The developments highlighted the limited scope of the agreement, which applies to the humanitarian operation around Oleshky r