Six-Day Ceasefire Begins Around Oleshky

A six-day ceasefire around Russian-occupied Oleshky in Ukraine’s Kherson region began October 27 and held for its first 30 hours, according to Ukrainian and Russian officials; officials hope it will last through November 1. Brokered with the involvement of U.S. first lady Melania Trump, the truce is intended to bring food, medicine and water to roughly 2,000 residents and allow civilians to evacuate, but demining is underway and safe exit routes and aid progress remain uncertain. The pause has also offered nearby Kherson residents a rare reprieve. Fighting continued elsewhere, with Ukrainian officials reporting Russian strikes that killed two people and injured 17, while broader war aims remain far apart and technical talks are planned for next month. Separately, Finland’s president and Norway’s prime minister spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and then Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in their first known direct contact with Putin since shortly after the 2022 invasion.