25-bus convoy staged in occupied zone to aid Oleshky

A logistics operation involving 25 buses, ambulances, and other support vehicles has been staged in the town of Armyansk for an aid mission to the city of Oleshky. The convoy is prepared to launch later Friday, according to Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's ombudsman and chief negotiator.

Lubinets stated the group is bringing humanitarian supplies to local residents in Oleshky. He noted that the primary goal is to ensure aid reaches every person who needs it. The mission will pay special attention to the elderly and people with disabilities.

Armyansk is located in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, approximately 85 kilometers south of Oleshky. Oleshky sits just inside the occupied territory in the Kherson region. The city has drawn global attention in recent weeks as heavy fighting and mined roads left residents stranded without food or medicine.

The localized ceasefire and the aid mission were brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. She led talks with Lubinets and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova. Moscow and Kyiv have observed the truce in and around the city since Tuesday.

The two nations remain otherwise fully engaged in the war that began with Russia's full-scale invasion more than 4.5 years ago. Previous ceasefire talks have failed or resulted in truces that quickly collapsed. The current agreement allows for the specific movement of the convoy and the delivery of supplies.

The aid mission is scheduled to take place later Friday. The convoy remains in position in Armyansk until the operation begins.