Aid convoy staged in Armyansk for Oleshky delivery

Ukraine’s southern Kherson region has been a focal point of recent diplomatic efforts following weeks of intense fighting. A humanitarian convoy for the city of Oleshky was staged in the nearby town of Armyansk on Thursday.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's ombudsman and chief negotiator, stated that the fleet includes 25 buses, ambulances, and other vehicles. He said the group was preparing for an aid mission scheduled for later on Friday.

"We are bringing humanitarian aid to the local residents of the city of Oleshky," Lubinets said. "Our main task is to ensure that this aid reaches every person who needs it. We pay special attention to the elderly, people with disabilities."

Armyansk is located in Russian-occupied territory, roughly 85 kilometers south of Oleshky. The localized ceasefire and the aid mission were brokered by U.S. first lady Melania Trump. She led talks with Lubinets and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova.

Oleshky residents became stranded by heavy combat and mined roads, leading to shortages of food and medicine. Moscow and Kyiv have observed the truce in and around the city since Tuesday. The war began with Russia's full-scale invasion more than four and a half years ago. Previous ceasefire attempts have failed or resulted in truces that quickly fell apart.