Pivden Group Accuses Russia of Using Kherson Humanitarian Pause for Military Gains
Ukrainian command says Russian forces rotated units and fortified positions during the four-day ceasefire in Oleshky.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
Russian forces rotated units, fortified positions, and installed anti-drone protection during a four-day ceasefire in occupied Oleshky, Kherson Oblast, according to the Pivden Group of Forces. Maksym Kravchuk, the group’s spokesperson, stated that the enemy used the pause for military purposes while claiming Ukraine was violating the agreement.
The humanitarian pause began at 03:00 Kyiv time on October 27, following an announcement by Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights. Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed the implementation of the ceasefire shortly after. The arrangement was secured by Melania Trump, who announced the agreement from the White House on October 23 amid reports of a humanitarian disaster in the area.
Kravchuk noted that Ukrainian units strictly observed the terms while monitoring the situation. He reported that Russian reconnaissance drones were spotted repeatedly during the lull. Ukrainian forces also documented instances where Russian troops dropped munitions from drones, a tactic Kravchuk described as an effort to discredit the Ukrainian defense forces.
The Pivden Group defined the ceasefire as strictly humanitarian, intended to provide assistance to civilians and evacuate them to Ukrainian-controlled territory. Despite the stated goal, Kravchuk said Russian forces strengthened logistics and brought in ammunition while the pause was active. He dismissed Russian claims of Ukrainian violations as false.
The operation concluded on October 31 when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the humanitarian mission had been successfully completed. All evacuated Ukrainian citizens crossed into Chernihiv Oblast. The ceasefire agreement was scheduled to remain in effect until 22:59 on November 1.
Ukrainian command units continued to track Russian actions throughout the period to prevent threats. The final day of the truce saw the completion of evacuations, with all remaining residents moving to Ukrainian territory as planned.
