Moscow / Kyiv, 24 October. Russia's human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova said that both Russia and Ukraine are fulfilling their obligations under the agreements on the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged to honour the localised ceasefire in the town.
Lantratova held an online meeting with the Ukrainian ombudsman on the humanitarian mission in Oleshky. Russian forces are introducing a ceasefire from 04:00 Moscow time on 27 October in connection with the humanitarian operation in the Kherson direction. The truce is meant to allow food and medicine to be delivered to the town, civilians to be evacuated and humanitarian access to be ensured.
Rodion Miroshnik, according to TASS, said that residents of Oleshky are waiting for the humanitarian corridor agreement to take effect but that no changes are yet visible "on the ground". In his words, the ceasefire will not affect the course of political negotiations but will complement the humanitarian track of the settlement.
On the same day Lantratova called the talks with Ukraine on a prisoner exchange "too complicated". "It was important that all stages went to plan, without a hitch. After all, every exchange is a huge responsibility," she wrote, calling the return of 270 prisoners of war "a huge joy". Her message does not say how many people returned to Ukraine.
What it means: The sides are confirming the Oleshky agreements and have named the hour the ceasefire starts in advance, but nothing has yet changed on the ground; a prisoner exchange took place in parallel.
Who benefits: Oleshky residents get a chance of evacuation and deliveries of food and medicine. The US, as mediator, prepared the ceasefire plan. Prisoners of war and their families get to return home.
Background: Oleshky is a town in Kherson region on the left bank of the Dnieper, controlled by Russian forces. The local ceasefire was agreed through the mediation of US First Lady Melania Trump; according to the First Lady's adviser Marc Beckman, the US prepared a plan for how it would work "literally by the hour, day and minute".
We have also reported that the US prepared an Oleshky ceasefire plan "by the day, hour and minute".
