KHERSON – A humanitarian convoy has been assembled in a nearby town to deliver urgently needed assistance to the embattled city of Oleshky. The operation, scheduled for later Friday, includes 25 buses, ambulances and additional vehicles, according to a Ukrainian official. “We are delivering humanitarian aid to the residents of Oleshky,” said Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman and chief negotiator. “Our priority is to make sure the supplies reach everyone in need, with particular attention to older people and those with disabilities.” Lubinets said the convoy was organized in Armyansk, a Russian-occupied town in southern Ukraine located roughly 85 kilometers (53 miles) south of Oleshky.
The limited ceasefire and aid operation were arranged through talks led by U.S. first lady Melania Trump, who negotiated with Lubinets and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova.
Oleshky, located in Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, drew international attention after intense fighting and mined roads left residents trapped without adequate food or medicine.
Russia and Ukraine have maintained the truce in and around the devastated city since Tuesday, even as the broader war continues. The conflict began with Russia’s full-scale invasion more than 4½ years ago. Earlier attempts to negotiate ceasefires either failed outright or produced pauses that soon collapsed.
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