Kherson Enjoyes Brief Respite from Russian Drones During Truce

OPA WIRE, Nov 3 (OPA) — Streets in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson filled with residents enjoying a rare break from constant Russian drone attacks. The brief ceasefire, which lasted from Oct. 27 to Nov. 1, allowed families to reunite and evacuate civilians from nearby Oleshky.

Negotiated by First Lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV, the truce provided a temporary halt to hostilities to facilitate the evacuation of Oleshky, a town across the Dnipro River. Russian troops occupied Oleshky in 2022, leaving residents isolated and reliant on pickles and boiled weeds before hundreds were evacuated on buses over the weekend.

During the pause, 21-year-old best friends Olena Soboleva and Anna Herasimenko walked through the city without fear of explosions or FPV drones. Former Kherson mayor Volodymyr Mykolaienko, who spent years as a prisoner of war in Russia following his 2022 arrest, also strolled through Independence Square to greet residents.

The truce ended Sunday night, returning the city to its precarious routine under anti-drone nets and constant military threat. Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets thanked Melania Trump for ensuring the ceasefire held, expressing belief that future truces can be honored.