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Ukraine
- Follow-up: Oleshky humanitarian ceasefire extended to all of Ukraine's Kherson region; evacuations planned for Friday
A local ceasefire to bring food and medicine into the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky took effect early on Tuesday, Oct 27, and Ukrainian officials later confirmed it had been extended to the whole of the southern Kherson region. US First Lady Melania Trump, who helped broker the truce with Pope Leo XIV also involved, said the extension was to give humanitarian convoys 'safe passage'. Kherson's deputy regional head said Russian shelling of Ukrainian-held Kherson city and surrounding areas had stopped and no violations had been reported. Under the deal, aid goes to Oleshky first and residents who wish to leave will be evacuated on Friday; an estimated 1,700 to 2,000 people remain in the town, with thousands more nearby, and many residents have been boiling weeds to eat.
Oct 28, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Local ceasefire around Oleshky takes effect; Russia halts strikes on Kherson region ahead of aid mission
A local ceasefire around Oleshky, on the left bank of the Dnipro River, took effect at 1am GMT on Tuesday, Oct 27, or 9am Hong Kong time. Brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump and announced on Oct 23, with Pope Leo XIV also involved, it is meant to allow residents to leave and supplies to get in. Russia's defence ministry said it had suspended strikes on Kherson region to prepare for a humanitarian mission later this week. Oleshky had about 24,000 people before the war and up to 2,000 remain.
Oct 27, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Local Russia-Ukraine ceasefire around Oleshky in Kherson region takes effect at 9am Hong Kong time
Russia and Ukraine confirmed last week a US-brokered local ceasefire around the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky to evacuate residents. NHK reported that it was due to take effect at 10am Japan time on Oct 27, or 9am Hong Kong time, and TASS reported that the ceasefire in the Kherson direction starts at 4am Moscow time, the same moment. The agreement requires both sides to stop attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Oct 26 that Ukraine, Russia and the US had agreed to restart talks next month, and that he still hopes to discuss territorial issues face to face with the Russian president.
Oct 27, 2026 Morning - UN Commission of Inquiry says Russia's sustained strikes on Ukraine's energy grid, using winter cold as a weapon, are war crimes
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine presented a report to the UN General Assembly on Monday, Oct 26, finding that Russia's continuing attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, using winter cold as a weapon, amount to war crimes. The report lists years of strikes since autumn 2022 on heating plants, power lines and gas facilities, and the New York Times reported that the commission concluded the aim was to make civilians suffer. Russia has launched large-scale attacks on Ukraine's energy system every winter since its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Oct 27, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Zelensky confirms US-mediated talks with Russia in November, says territory must be discussed by leaders
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Kyiv and Moscow will hold talks in November with US mediation, stressing that territorial issues must be discussed directly at leaders' level while other matters can go to technical groups. The Kremlin had said the three-way contacts were planned for the Gulf region. After US envoy Steve Witkoff met Zelensky and Vladimir Putin in recent days, both sides signalled willingness to resume direct talks; the agenda, level of attendance and whether a ceasefire is included have not been announced.
Oct 26, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Zelensky says Ukraine-Russia-US three-way talks will be held in November; Kremlin says venue is in the Gulf
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a television interview on Sunday, Oct 25, that Kyiv, Washington and Moscow will hold three-way talks in November to restart stalled peace negotiations, saying territorial issues should be handled at leaders' level and other matters by technical groups. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Oct 23 that the talks were planned for November in the Gulf region. US envoy Steve Witkoff met Zelensky and European leaders in Oslo on Oct 20 and Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Oct 21, after which both Kyiv and Moscow said they were willing to resume direct talks with US mediation.
Oct 26, 2026 Morning - White House says Melania Trump brokered local ceasefire in Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky; Russia and Ukraine confirm truce from Oct 27
The White House said on Oct 23 that First Lady Melania Trump 'successfully brokered' a local ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky to evacuate residents and deliver aid; both sides confirmed their forces would stop firing from 02:00 GMT on Oct 27, while the White House statement said it would begin on Oct 29. Oleshky was captured early in Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and sits between Ukrainian positions across the Dnipro and Russian forces to the east, and residents have recently survived on weeds from their gardens. The White House said Melania Trump and her representatives agreed the terms directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership; non-military civilian officials from both countries will visit homes to assess needs and arrange transport for those who want to leave, and Trump called it her initiative.
Oct 24, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Trump says Musk has restored Ukraine's Starlink access; Zelensky says military Starshield speeds not fully back
US President Trump said on Oct 22 that Elon Musk had restored Ukraine's Starlink access, declining to comment on a Wall Street Journal report that he had phoned Musk to ask for a slowdown to be lifted. Ukrainian President Zelensky said earlier the same day that military-grade Starshield connectivity had not yet fully recovered and that he was waiting for Secretary of State Rubio to reply within about 48 hours. The White House had denied ordering SpaceX to restrict access, and Musk said last week that Starshield is ultimately controlled by the US government.
Oct 23, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Russian missiles pound Kyiv after Putin agrees in principle to resume three-way talks; Moscow says it downed over 800 drones
After US envoy Witkoff met Russian President Putin in St Petersburg on Oct 21, Putin agreed 'in principle' to resume US-Russia-Ukraine talks, with no date set. AP reported Russia bombarded Kyiv with ballistic missiles hours later, with Ukrainian officials saying at least four were killed and dozens injured; RFI, citing AFP, said Ukraine reported seven dead, and NHK quoted Zelensky as saying two were killed and more than 30 injured. Russia's defence ministry said on Thursday its air defences intercepted more than 800 Ukrainian drones, and Meduza reported Moscow's mayor said 630 drones flew towards Moscow and the Moscow region from the evening of Oct 21, injuring two people.
Oct 23, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Kyiv hit by missiles, 6 injured, after Kremlin agrees in principle to resume three-way talks; Russia says it downed 630 drones
After the US special envoy met the Russian president in St Petersburg on Oct 21, the Kremlin said it was in principle ready to resume US-Russia-Ukraine talks. Liberty Times, citing AFP, reported that Kyiv was struck by missiles that night, with Kyiv's mayor saying at least six people were injured and four hospitalised; transport infrastructure in Darnytskyi district, a car repair shop and a private house in Dniprovskyi district, and a medical facility in Pecherskyi district were hit, and a restaurant caught fire in Sviatoshynskyi district around 1:35 am on Oct 22. Clarín reported Russia said it intercepted 630 Ukrainian drones overnight, more than 160 of them near Moscow.
Oct 22, 2026 Afternoon - Musk ordered Starlink slowdown for Ukraine, disrupting military drones, WSJ reports
Japan Times, citing a Wall Street Journal report of Oct 20, said the recent Starlink slowdown for Ukraine came on orders from SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk and hindered Ukrainian drones on defensive and offensive missions; the report said Musk discussed the matter with Trump after it became public. CBS News, citing people familiar with the matter, said the satellite service used to control drones, hit targets and protect facilities was sharply slowed last week, and that Musk spoke repeatedly with government officials before the order to gauge the president's views and did not want the company seen as profiting from the Russia-Ukraine war. Musk said last week Starshield technology is licensed to the US government, which decides who can use it and at what service level.
Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Trump says US got 'nothing' from Ukraine but high-priced diesel; Witkoff to meet Putin in St Petersburg
Associated Press reported that on Oct 20 Trump said the United States had gotten 'nothing' from Ukraine except 'high-priced diesel' and that it was 'time' for Ukraine to reach a deal with Russia. Al Jazeera reported Trump told the White House that day: 'Zelensky has to want to end this war, and if he doesn't, I think it's going to be a very bad thing.' US envoy Steve Witkoff was due to meet Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday to discuss a proposal after talks with Zelensky in Oslo the day before; Finland's President Alexander Stubb, who took part in Oslo, said the plan had made 'real progress'.
Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon - Zelensky says US missile-warning intelligence 'works now' after Oslo talks; Witkoff and Kushner to meet Putin in St Petersburg
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said after meeting US envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo on Oct 20 that US early-warning intelligence on Russian ballistic missile strikes 'works now'; US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier called Ukrainian claims that the US was withholding intelligence 'disgraceful'. Norway's prime minister, Finland's president and EU and UK security officials attended, Jared Kushner joined by video because of flu, and Finland's president said the peace plan had made 'real progress' without giving details. The New York Times reported that Witkoff and Kushner plan to meet Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Oct 21 and seek the release of a 72-year-old American serving six years and 10 months; Russia's foreign minister said Moscow would make 'no political concessions'.
Oct 21, 2026 Morning - NATO boosts Black Sea surveillance as Russia says it struck five cargo ships in one day
The Guardian reported that NATO announced on Oct 20 it is sending more surveillance, reconnaissance and forensic assets to the Black Sea region, including maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems, drones and intelligence staff. The same day Russia's military said it struck three cargo ships at Ukraine's Reni port and two more bound for Odesa. The London marine insurance market's new high-risk zone now covers the entire Black Sea except Romanian, Bulgarian and Turkish territorial waters, making it the world's most dangerous shipping route, and the North Atlantic Council met that day to discuss Black Sea security.
Oct 21, 2026 Morning - Zelensky adviser says US ballistic-missile warnings still unstable; some died without time to shelter
Serhii 'Flash' Beskrestnov, a Zelensky adviser and communications expert, told the BBC that US warnings of incoming Russian ballistic missiles remain incomplete and unstable, sometimes arriving only a minute before a strike, and that people have already died for lack of time to take shelter; the White House said intelligence sharing with Ukraine had not changed. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday Kyiv faced two overnight ballistic attacks, one with no warning and one with minimal shelter time, after telling NBC sharing had resumed following a three-day pause. Beskrestnov said the problem was mainly the air-raid alert channel while other intelligence still flowed; the military also reported SpaceX Starshield speed limits disrupting drones and mobile communications.
Oct 20, 2026 Afternoon - Ukraine says heavy drone carried out first front-line airlift of wounded soldier
Ukraine's 92nd Assault Brigade released video saying a remote-controlled heavy hexacopter airlifted a wounded soldier from the front line where dense mines and Russian drones blocked ground rescue, calling it a world first. BBC Verify checked the identities of soldiers shown and found no signs of AI generation or obvious tampering. The claim came amid US–Ukraine tension over intelligence sharing and Starshield network limits.
Oct 20, 2026 Afternoon - Russian drone hits park in Kharkiv region's Nova Vodolaha, killing 6 including two girls
Ukraine's interior minister said a Russian drone struck the central park of Nova Vodolaha in Kharkiv region, killing six people: a man, three women and two girls. Kharkiv regional military administration head Oleh Syniehubov said the girls were 11 and just over one year old, and 15 people were injured, seven of them children. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the little girl was named Angelina, her mother Inna was also killed, and the park was hit by a Shahed drone.
Oct 20, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Trump says Russia sanctions pause keeps talks alive; Zelensky says US is pushing Ukraine to 'capitulate'
US President Donald Trump announced late Friday a pause of multiple Russia sanctions that were due to take effect in two days; Congress had passed them and he signed them into law in September. On Oct 18 on Truth Social he said he was negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, did not want to 'stupidly' push Russia from the table, and claimed Zelensky 'doesn't want' the war to end. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a 60-day pause to assess economic impact; Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev called it a 'truly historic moment'. Zelensky told NBC that siding with Putin would be a 'historic mistake'; the Japan Times reported he said Trump was pressuring Ukraine to capitulate and that a proposal to stop striking Russian diesel facilities in exchange for more Patriot missiles met a US reply that only wanted Ukraine to stop hitting diesel.
Oct 19, 2026 Afternoon - Zelensky thanks US for restoring intelligence sharing; Bessent calls his Starlink claims 'reckless'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told NBC's Meet the Press on Oct 18 that the US had restored intelligence sharing on incoming Russian ballistic missiles, saying Ukraine went three days without warnings during ballistic missile strikes. He maintained that the US deliberately throttled Starlink, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the accusation was 'very reckless' and warned him to 'be careful'. Zelensky also spoke with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and said Russia had violated the 'energy ceasefire' 76 times.
Oct 19, 2026 Morning