Ceasefire Fails as Missiles Strike
A local truce in Oleshky began Tuesday while Russia launched up to 16 missiles and 280 drones at Ukrainian cities.
By Jason Lee ·
A temporary truce took effect at 3:00 a.m. local time in Oleshky, a town in southern Ukraine occupied by Russia. The pause in fighting, which lasts until Saturday, aims to allow humanitarian aid to reach residents suffering from shortages of food, water, and medicine.
The local agreement was brokered by First Lady Melania Trump. Oleshky sits in the Kherson region across the Dnipro River from the city of Kherson. Russian forces seized the town when the invasion began in 2022. The town is located approximately 340 miles southeast of Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia continued its offensive while the local ceasefire was in place. Overnight, Russian forces launched up to 16 ballistic missiles and 280 drones at major Ukrainian cities. Zelenskyy confirmed that these strikes caused casualties.
Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces targeted the energy sector, logistics networks, and urban infrastructure. He noted that strikes are occurring daily and that Russia is taking new steps toward escalation.
These military actions occur ahead of a new round of trilateral peace talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff recently visited Europe to meet with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both leaders expressed openness to negotiations, but they stressed that security guarantees are essential.
On Tuesday, Putin spoke with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. According to the Norwegian government, Stubb and Støre told Putin that their nations would continue supporting Ukraine. They also emphasized that negotiations to end the war must resume.
Ukrainian officials warned that Russia is emboldened by recent diplomatic developments. They cited a deal where Russia will supply global markets with diesel and reported restrictions on military use of SpaceX's Starlink service. The energy ceasefire announced by President Donald Trump on Oct. 11 appears to have failed to produce meaningful results.
Source: CNBC
