Ukraine and Russia plan to carry out humanitarian missions in communities across the Kherson region as and when required, but at least once a month, Fox News reported on 28 October. According to the television channel, representatives of both sides signed the documents on 23 October, and US First Lady Melania Trump will be involved in mediating and coordinating future operations. The first such operation is currently underway in the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky.
Briefly about the main points
- Missions in the Kherson region are planned to take place at least once a month.
- The aid will include food, water, medicines and the evacuation of civilians.
- A ceasefire was introduced in Oleshky on 27 October to facilitate a humanitarian operation.
- No incidents were recorded during the first 30 hours of the ceasefire.
- The parties are to agree on the following local authorities and routes separately.
What measures are set out in the agreements for the communities in the Kherson region?
Once you have finished working in Oleshky There are plans to extend humanitarian cooperation to other communities in the region. According to Fox News, the missions will involve delivering food, drinking water, medicines and other essential aid to residents of settlements affected by the fighting.
A separate focus will be on facilitating the return of civilians to their places of residence, as well as providing assistance to those who need to be relocated. The frequency of these activities will be determined by the needs of the population; however, the documents stipulate that missions must be carried out at least once a month.
The specific communities to be involved in subsequent operations, the convoy routes and the dates on which they are to take place are to be determined on a case-by-case basis. The expansion of the missions will depend on the outcome of the operation in Oleshky and the parties’ compliance with the agreements reached.
How the operation in Oleshky is proceeding under the local ceasefire
The first humanitarian mission to the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky began on 27 October. A local ceasefire came into effect at 03:00 Kyiv time — two days earlier than originally planned.
The operation aims to ensure the safe movement of humanitarian teams, the delivery of aid and the evacuation of civilians who choose to to leave the occupied territory. As reported by the White House, representatives of the teams are to identify residents’ needs directly on the ground, and those being evacuated are promised transport to their chosen destination.
On the morning of 28 October, the Verkhovna Rada’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets stated that no incidents had been recorded during the first 30 hours of the ceasefire. According to him, constant communication with the representative of the Russian side is helping to uphold the agreements Yana Lantratova. The agreed arrangements are to remain in force until 22:59 on 1 November.
Melania Trump’s role in the negotiations and the possible timeline for the next steps
According to Fox News, Melania Trump For several weeks, she took part in negotiations with representatives of Ukraine and Russia on the establishment of a humanitarian corridor. Her senior adviser, Mark Beckman, said that both sides had agreed to the US First Lady’s role as mediator.
The negotiators discussed the routes to be taken by humanitarian convoys, the evacuation procedure and security guarantees. On 23 October, the White House confirmed the agreements regarding local ceasefire in Oleshky, whilst Lubinets also confirmed that Melania Trump was involved in coordinating the mission and that the Ukrainian side was in constant contact with those involved in the process.
Bekman estimates that the main operations in Oleshky could last around a week and be completed in early November. If more time is needed to deliver aid or carry out evacuations, the parties may agree separately to extend the operation.
