Ukraine’s 34th Marine Infantry Brigade has accused Russian forces of exploiting a temporary ceasefire around the occupied town of Oleschky for military purposes. The brigade, based in the city of Kherson, said it had observed suspicious activity in the surrounding area before, during and after the humanitarian operation.
According to the brigade, Russian military vehicles were seen using access roads that had previously been unusable because of mines and shelling. The statement described the truce as having a “bittersweet aftertaste” and said that numerous violations had been recorded.
Sky News said it had corroborated the claims using aerial images from a Ukrainian command post monitoring the ceasefire. Azad Safarov, a producer for the broadcaster, said Russian forces had moved weapons and ammunition into the area, supplied troops and searched buildings for new positions. He also alleged that bodies of civilians killed by shelling and mine explosions had been removed from a morgue to conceal evidence.
The ceasefire ended on Sunday and was described as the longest between Ukraine and Russia since the Russian invasion. It covered Oleschky and nearby areas to allow roughly 2,000 residents to receive aid or leave the danger zone. Around 800 people reportedly used the opportunity to depart, with most apparently heading toward the Ukrainian-controlled part of the country.
Moscow rejected a Ukrainian proposal to extend the truce, as well as further local ceasefires. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no such measures were planned. Russia’s human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova, said on Monday that residents who remained in Oleschky would receive humanitarian supplies once a month.
Meanwhile, authorities in Ukraine and Russia reported fake warnings of nuclear attacks on Sunday. Officials in both countries said air-raid alert applications may have been hacked. Ukrainian users first received warnings of a Russian nuclear missile attack, followed by alerts in Russia about Ukrainian dirty bombs allegedly being delivered by drones. Air-raid applications have been considered essential for safety in Ukraine for years.
Sources: FAZ.