Ukraine war briefing: Oleshky truce holding and demining under way to enable humanitarian corridor, Kyiv says
A local ceasefire in southern Ukraine was holding for a second day Wednesday, with both sides reporting no incidents as demining began to enable humanitarian aid for the occupied city of Oleshky.
An estimated 2,000 people remain in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region amid severe food and medical shortages, with reports of residents starving and eating weeds. The human rights ombudsmen of both countries confirmed the truce, which began Tuesday morning, remained intact.
30 hours of the ceasefire in Oleshky have passed without a single incident.
Route demining was described as a "crucial step toward ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and enabling civilians who wish to leave the city," according to Lubinets, who noted both ombudsmen would be physically present on the ground to guarantee the ceasefire.
Regional Stability
President Zelenskyy reported no massive attacks on Kherson, where about 280,000 people lived before Russia's invasion. He expressed cautious optimism about the temporary truce, stating: "We're happy even when we have two, three days for these people. You know, some ceasefire is great, you can see them in the streets."
The Ukrainian president characterized the potential evacuation of Oleshky's citizens as a "huge success" if implemented as planned, though the situation remains precarious for those trapped in the occupied territory.
Peace Talks Delayed
The next round of three-way talks on a settlement to the Ukraine conflict faces uncertainty, with a Kremlin foreign policy aide citing the Middle East situation as a complicating factor. Yuri Ushakov indicated Moscow had not proposed a specific date for the talks.
It will also depend on the situation on the battlefield and the situation in general. You can see the situation now in the Middle East. It just doesn't allow us to hold it in the near future, Ushakov stated. Zelenskyy expressed hope for a meeting in Abu Dhabi between November 6-10.
International Support
The Netherlands announced it would supply Ukraine with €500m in military support this winter, primarily for drones and defensive materials. Prime Minister Rob Jetten made the announcement after meeting with Zelenskyy in The Hague.
Earlier Wednesday, the Dutch government revealed an additional €1.2bn in non-military support over the next three years, with some funds designated to encourage Dutch companies to invest in Ukraine's rebuilding efforts.
In a separate development, Russian authorities have issued permits for grain export vessels to leave the Sea of Azov for the first time since July 10, when maritime traffic was closed following Ukrainian drone attacks. The permits will allow passage through the Kerch Strait until November 15.
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