A limited truce has taken effect in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky, a week after it was announced by US First Lady Melania Trump - because apparently that's the diplomatic channel we're working with now. Both Ukrainian officials and Russia's defence ministry say the ceasefire is being respected, which is the kind of sentence that in this war qualifies as genuinely startling news.

The ceasefire is intended to allow aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians, which has been planned for Friday. Oleshky sits trapped between the Dnipro River - which forms the front line in the Kherson region and separates the city from Ukrainian positions - and Russian forces.

Residents still in the city are desperately short of food, with many resorting to cooking garden weeds to survive. Some told the BBC this week that they are suffering extreme hunger and want to leave. The city has had no electricity, gas or water for three years, and no shops are open.

Oleshky, home to 24,000 people before the war, was seized by Russia during the first days of its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine now estimates some 6,000 people, including 200 children, remain in the city and its surrounding areas. Ukraine has attempted to deliver supplies but has not succeeded in recent months, and it is deemed too dangerous to risk leaving on foot along mined roads out of the city.

In response to the situation, the White House said last week that Melania Trump had secured a ceasefire in Oleshky, with no details on how long it would last - a detail that would seem relevant to the people deciding whether to pack.

Russia's defence ministry said on Telegram it had stopped firing toward the Ukrainian city of Kherson - across the river from Oleshky - at 04:00 Moscow time (01:00 GMT) in preparation for the humanitarian operation. Ukraine's parliament commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, also confirmed in a social media post that the ceasefire had begun. "As head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, I confirm that the Ukrainian side is honouring its commitments," he wrote on Facebook.

People in Oleshky told the BBC they want to evacuate. One woman said she is in hospital recovering from two surgeries after stepping on a land mine. "I don't know how long I will have to spend there," she told the BBC, worried about not being able to join Friday's planned evacuation.

While people are optimistic about leaving, there are also fears that Russia may not allow them to return to Ukraine, or may examine their phones and online activity for signs of Ukrainian support - which could see them taken away and tortured. The White House said in last week's statement from Melania Trump that "non-military, civilian leaders from both countries will work together to visit Oleshky residents in their homes and determine the level of assistance they require".

While the US first lady is relatively lower profile than some of her predecessors - and only occasionally seen at White House events - she has become involved in addressing humanitarian issues stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war. In August 2025, she penned a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, telling him it was "time to protect children and future generations worldwide".