Ukrainians fear Russia will keep them from returning home after Melania-brokered ceasefire

As of October 28, 2026, First Lady Melania Trump has brokered a six-day humanitarian ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the occupied city of Oleshky. The truce began on October 27 and is expected to last until November 1. According to the White House, this agreement allows for the delivery of essential supplies like food and medicine to roughly 2,000 remaining residents, most of whom are elderly, as well as their evacuation if desired.

Oleshky, occupied by Russian forces since February 2022, was described as being "on the brink of disaster" with severe shortages. However, local residents fear that Russian authorities might prevent them from returning to Ukrainian-controlled areas after they leave Oleshky. Despite these concerns, Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, confirmed via social media on October 28 that there had been no incidents during the first 30 hours of the ceasefire.

The ceasefire coincides with US-led plans to bring Russian and Ukrainian officials back to negotiations in November for technical talks aimed at ending the war. Previous attempts at ceasefires have failed or quickly unraveled, making this one particularly significant. Meanwhile, residents of Kherson, a city near Oleshky, are cautiously venturing out after years of daily attacks, experiencing rare moments of peace under the US-brokered truce.