Brief Kherson truce ends as residents reclaim streets

Russian and Ukrainian forces observed a ceasefire in southern Ukraine from October 27 to November 1. The pause in fighting was negotiated to facilitate evacuations from the town of Oleshky, which lies across the Dnipro River from the city of Kherson. Russian troops have occupied Oleshky since 2022 and mined the surrounding land, making the movement of food and medicine difficult.

During the truce, hundreds of residents left Oleshky. Buses escorted them north into Ukraine. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's ombudsman, credited First Lady Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV for ensuring the agreement held. He expressed confidence that future truces could also be honored.

In Kherson, the break in hostilities brought a visible shift in daily life. For months, Russian forces based on the opposite bank of the river have targeted the city with first-person view drones carrying explosives. Heavy mesh nets now cover the streets, buildings, and the main highway into the city to protect locals. During the weekend of October 31 and November 1, those skies were clear.

Olena Soboleva and Anna Herasimenko, both 21, walked down the street together. They passed families with children and shoppers buying supplies. Soboleva noted the absence of drones and explosions. Herasimenko visited a salon and got a manicure. She displayed her burgundy nail polish while stating that the streets were full of people just as they had been in the past.

Svitlana Vorobiova, a retired police officer living in a safer city, drove back to Kherson to visit her parents. She took photographs with her children at a Greek-style monument that marks the city's gateway. Her son had not visited his hometown in four years. Vorobiova said he was overwhelmed to be back in the place where he grew up.

Volodymyr Mykolaienko, 66, walked through the city during the truce. He served as mayor of Kherson before Russian troops arrested him in early 2022. He spent years as a prisoner of war in Russia, where he was held in small rooms and subjected to starvation and torture. He was released in a prisoner exchange last year and returned to his family in Kherson.

Mykolaienko used the pause in fighting to visit his father's grave. The cemetery is located in an area typically filled with drone activity. He said he was able to pray and speak to his father about the city's condition. He had wanted to do this for a long time but could not safely make the trip before now.

At a busy bus stop, oncology nurse Olena Yehorova watched a man play the accordion. She described the truce as a relief for the population, noting that people were able to breathe. She added that residents still moved with caution because trust in Russian forces remained low. The ceasefire ended on Sunday night, and she expects attacks to resume at any time.