U.S.-Brokered Truce Appears to Hold in Ukrainian Town Close to Starvation

Oct. 27, 2026 Damage to a residential building in the Bryansk region following a Ukrainian drone attack on Oct. 27, 2026. @E_V_Kovalchuk / Telegram Russia and Ukraine have begun a local ceasefire in the occupied town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, both sides said Tuesday, but strikes continued elsewhere across Ukrainian and Russian territory, with several people being reported killed. The ceasefire, which the Trump administration announced last week, should enable deliveries of humanitarian aid as well as evacuations from the frontline town as its residents grapple with acute shortages of food and medicine. U.S. First Lady Melania Trump said later Tuesday that the ceasefire had been expanded beyond Oleshky within the wider Kherson region to allow safe passage for humanitarian convoys. “Timing was accelerated two days ahead of schedule to protect the safety of civilians and to facilitate the delivery of critical humanitarian aid,” she said in a post on X. “The ceasefire’s geographic area has expanded beyond Oleshky, within the Kherson region, to provide safe passage for the humanitarian convoys.” Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights and head of its negotiating team, confirmed in a Facebook post that Kyiv was observing the ceasefire. On Telegram, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it stopped shelling in the area of Kherson as it prepared for the ceasefire around Oleshky, which is located nearby. Despite the local ceasefire, Ukraine and Russia continued to trade strikes elsewhere overnight. In western Russia’s Bryansk region, Ukrainian drone attacks killed two people and wounded at least six others, Governor Yegor Kovalchuk said Tuesday. The first victim was killed when an explosive was dropped from a drone, Kovalchuk said. He later confirmed the death of a 67-year-old man in the same area. Elsewhere, authorities in the Belgorod region said one woman was killed and seven people were injured over the past 24 hours. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted 222 Ukrainian drones across Russia and annexed Crimea between Monday night and Tuesday morning. In Ukraine, a Russian missile attack on Kyiv killed at least one and wounded 15 others, including students in a dormitory. Overnight Russian attacks also killed and injured people in the cities of Kharkiv and Pavlohrad. Meanwhile, in the partially occupied Zaporizhzhia region, Kremlin-installed authorities said one person was killed and 30 others were injured when a Ukrainian drone struck an inter-regional passenger bus. Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: Ukraine war , Kherson Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Ukrainian Drone Strikes Kill 7 at Kherson Region Market, Kremlin-Installed Official Says Vladimir Saldo claimed that Ukrainian forces used FPV drones in the attack on Oleshky, which lies near the left bank of the Dnipro River. 1 Min read In Photos: Cleanup Efforts in Southern Ukraine Following Kakhovka Dam Breach The collapse of the Kakhovka dam caused catastrophic flooding in Ukraine's Kherson region which displaced thousands of people. 1 Min read Ukraine Rescue Worker Killed, 8 Injured by Russian Fire in Kherson – Minister Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the team was involved in clean-up efforts from the Kakhovka dam flood when Russian forces opened fire on them. 2 Min read Russian Atrocities in Kherson Region Same as Other Regions – Zelensky President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Ukrainian forces that retook the city of Kherson found evidence of new war crimes by Russian occupiers. "The...