Russia Used Oleshky Truce to Reinforce Front

Russia reportedly brought more than 1,000 troops into the occupied part of Ukraine’s Kherson region, using a temporary ceasefire around a humanitarian operation in Oleshky to reinforce its positions.The 34th Separate Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian Navy told Krym.Realii, a Radio Liberty project, that the Russian military may be preparing for a possible offensive toward Kherson.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.However, no large-scale assault attempts have been observed so far, said Yaroslav Moroz, head of the brigade’s Unmanned Systems Department.According to Moroz, Russian troops have returned to positions from which they had been pushed out over the previous six months, effectively moving about 20 kilometers (12 miles) closer to the front line.Before the ceasefire, Ukrainian forces had expanded their area of engagement on the left bank of the Dnipro River, pushed Russian troops back, and disrupted their logistics, he said.Moroz added Russian personnel and equipment arrived in vehicles during the ceasefire, but Ukrainian forces observed that significantly fewer vehicles and troops left afterward.“They arrived simply by car, as was the case in 2022, and then, when the cars left, we monitored it all, and much fewer cars left, much fewer personnel left,” he said.He added that Ukrainian forces had not observed any major Russian assault operations, only isolated troop movements, which had been stopped. Other Topics of Interest Zelensky: Ukraine Has Not Received $16 Billion in Previously Agreed US Aid Zelensky says Kyiv must adapt its approach to Washington and consolidate bipartisan support as the US political balance shifts. “All these isolated movements were stopped, and the personnel were liquidated. There are currently no massive assault actions. But we are ready for them,” Moroz said.The brigade also accused Russian forces of using Oleshky’s hospital to store military equipment and ammunition, exploiting the presence of civilians receiving treatment there to deter Ukrainian strikes.According to Moroz, Russian troops brought substantial quantities of equipment and ammunition into the hospital, knowing Ukrainian forces would not target a facility where local residents were being treated.The 34th Separate Marine Brigade is involved in defending Kherson, holding positions on the Dnipro’s left bank, and on nearby islands.Earlier, Yaroslav Mantyar, commander of the 34th Marine Brigade’s drone unit, said Russian forces had brought in large numbers of personnel, ammunition, weapons, and drones, while also regrouping their units during the ceasefire.A five-day ceasefire around Russian-occupied Oleshky, brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, began on Oct. 27 to halt fighting and reportedly allow around 800 civilians to evacuate.However, Ukraine accused Russian forces of exploiting the pause to rotate troops, reinforce forward positions, and bring in ammunition, weapons and other supplies. The Kremlin denied the allegations and instead accused Ukrainian forces of violating the truce.Footage published by Sky News on Tuesday appeared to support Ukraine’s claims, showing buses and military vehicles moving from Oleshky toward Russian positions while the ceasefire was still in effect.Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said that some vehicles spotted in the footage were military equipment used exclusively for demining rather than transporting troops.However, Russian military bloggers also acknowledged that the ceasefire had enabled troop rotations and the movement of armored vehicles, ammunition, and fuel.Russian blogger Vladimir Romanov reported that four buses carrying civilians had left Oleshky, while 14 buses loaded with supplies and personnel had traveled in the opposite direction.Notably, Romanov has stopped publishing updates after reporting that most residents evacuated from the occupied city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region had chosen to go to Ukraine rather than Russia.Several followers commented on his last post, suggesting that Romanov had been detained by Russian authorities.Another pro-war blogger openly praised Russian forces for using the truce to move troops and equipment, with a geolocated video appearing to show military vehicles on a road connecting Oleshky to Russian positions.The US-based Institute for the Study of War had warned on Oct. 29 that Russia could use the ceasefire to reinforce its positions while Ukrainian drones were barred from striking its forces. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.