Ukraine Prepares 25-Bus Convoy for Aid to Oleshky

A humanitarian convoy comprising 25 buses, ambulances, and other support vehicles has been assembled in Armyansk to deliver supplies to the city of Oleshky. The aid mission is scheduled to begin later on Friday, according to Ukrainian officials.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's ombudsman and chief negotiator, stated that the primary objective is to ensure every resident in need receives assistance. He noted that the team is paying special attention to elderly citizens and people with disabilities. "We are bringing humanitarian aid to the local residents of the city of Oleshky," Lubinets said.

Armyansk, located in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, sits approximately 85 kilometers south of Oleshky. The town serves as the staging area for the vehicles before they cross into the targeted zone. Oleshky itself lies just inside the occupied territory within the Kherson region.

The localized ceasefire allowing for the delivery of goods was negotiated by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. She led discussions between Lubinets and Yana Lantratova, the Russian counterpart, to secure the temporary pause in fighting.

Residents of Oleshky gained global attention after heavy fighting and mined roads left many stranded without food or medicine. Moscow and Kyiv have maintained the truce in and around the city since Tuesday, while continuing to engage in the wider war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion more than four and a half years ago.

The current arrangement follows previous attempts at truces that either failed to materialize or collapsed shortly after being established.