Civilians in Ukraine's southeastern Kherson region are preparing for the end of a localized ceasefire, marking the most significant truce between Kyiv and Moscow since Russia's full-scale invasion began. The temporary pause in hostilities, which began early Tuesday and was expected to conclude Sunday evening, allowed for the evacuation of residents from the front-line city of Oleshky and surrounding areas.
Melania Trump, U.S. first lady, helped broker the limited truce, stating on social media that the ceasefire "has provided residents with the freedom to move, access to food, clean water, medicine, plus a renewed sense of dignity without the constant threat of attack." An estimated 2,000 civilians were in Oleshky when the truce took hold, with options to evacuate to Ukrainian or Russian-controlled territory, or remain in the city with replenished supplies.
Despite the localized pause, Russia and Ukraine have continued aerial strikes elsewhere. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported Sunday that Russia is targeting Ukraine’s energy systems ahead of winter, leaving hundreds of thousands of families without power overnight. "The intensity of the strikes is extremely high, and the Russians are trying to take maximum advantage of the shortage of ballistic missile interceptors," Zelenskyy said on X.
Residents in Kherson city remained calm, aware that the ceasefire's quiet would soon end. Oleksandr Knyha, head of the Mykola Kulish Kherson Regional Academic Music and Drama Theater, noted that while they hope for peace, the theater plans to continue its performances. "Whatever happens, the show is not canceled," he said, referencing the company's resilience even while performing in a basement and preparing additional bomb shelters.
Costume maker Alla Vasylenko, 58, expressed skepticism about any lasting change, stating, "Nothing will change. Everything will go back to how it was before the ceasefire, because believing the Russians means not believing yourself." She plans to stay in Kherson, citing her commitment to her 10 dogs and the difficulty of finding the means to relocate.
Many residents, like Knyha, who is from the Russia-occupied left bank of Kherson, remain with the hope of returning home. The theater recently staged a concert titled "musical map of Ukraine" to foster unity and hope among people.
Elsewhere, a Russian attack in the Ukrainian region of Vinnytsia killed three people, including a 13-year-old girl, when a drone struck a vocational school. In the Kyiv region, Russian drone attacks continued for a second day, wounding a woman and damaging infrastructure. Ukraine's air force reported shooting down 371 out of 433 drones launched by Moscow overnight.
Meanwhile, over 100 Ukrainian drones were reportedly shot down over Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region, causing damage to an industrial building in Kstovo and sparking a blaze at a local oil refinery. Limits on gasoline sales were later implemented in the region. President Zelenskyy also stated that Kyiv had struck a factory used to make missile components and air defense facilities inside Russia's Rostov region.