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The US White House said on Friday that First Lady Melania Trump has secured a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine concerning the city of Oleshky, which is set to take effect on October 29.
According to the official statement released by the White House, the agreement will temporarily halt all military action inside Oleshky to permit humanitarian relief to reach the area and to arrange civilian evacuations via a designated safe passageway. "The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster. Oleshkys remaining population is comprised primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food and clean water," said Melania Trump. "The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads and endure regular military attacks. It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility of bringing humanitarian aid into the city and evacuating the elderly would be impossible," she added. Operating in her formal capacity as Exclusive Intermediary, Melania Trump and her representative worked directly with senior Russian and Ukrainian authorities to finalise the parameters of the localised ceasefire. The First Lady initiated discussions with both governments, successfully coordinating mutual agreement regarding the core objectives, technical procedures, timing, processes and terms of the arrangement. 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. Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia and some to Ukraine, stated First Lady Melania Trump. Furthermore, she remarked, I have also secured an impartial American media organisation to accompany and document Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground throughout the process. This will play a significant role in ensuring that the wishes of each family are faithfully respected. The plight of Oleshky was first brought to the First Lady's attention during a private discussion held at her Fostering the Future Together event in New York City amidst the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. My representative and I immediately leveraged the communication channel we established with Russia and Ukraine through the previous six reunifications of 34 children. Both nations promptly assigned teams to coordinate the complex mechanics involved, including demining. All parties have worked around the clock since that moment, explained First Lady Melania Trump. Situated in southern Ukraine, directly across the Dnipro River from Kherson, Oleshky sustained a pre-war population of approximately 24,000 citizens. Current estimates indicate that 1,700 to 2,000 inhabitants remain, largely elderly individuals who have been stranded, alongside roughly 50 children, with no official demographic census recorded since 2022. (ANI)
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