Fighting resumes in Kherson as Russia strikes medical facility, injures civilians

Fighting erupted again in Ukraine’s Kherson region on Monday, ending a six‑day ceasefire that had been the longest since Russia launched its full‑scale invasion in 2022. Russian forces struck a medical facility in the centre of Kherson city and a drone hit a car, injuring a 62‑year‑old woman and a 73‑year‑old man, local authorities said. The brief lull had allowed hundreds of residents trapped in the Russian‑occupied town of Oleshky and nearby villages to be evacuated.

The pause was arranged by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, who brokered an agreement that both Kyiv and Moscow publicly praised. Human‑rights officials from the two sides – Russia’s Yana Lantratova and Ukraine’s Dmytro Lubinets – travelled together to Oleshky, met residents and said no violations had been observed. Their joint appearance was an unusual sign of cooperation in a war that has rarely seen such coordination. The ceasefire, however, was limited to Oleshky and its surroundings, while Russian air strikes continued elsewhere in Ukraine, killing civilians and damaging infrastructure.

Ukraine’s military accused Moscow of using the humanitarian pause to reinforce its positions, rotate troops and deliver ammunition. The General Staff said it had recorded Russian unit movements, new anti‑drone equipment on roads and ammunition deliveries during the truce. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed the claim, saying it was “reasonable to assume that the Ukrainian army also used this period for necessary regrouping” and describing such tactics as “standard practice.” The Kremlin dismissed the Oleshky ceasefire as an isolated case that would not affect the broader “settlement process” of the stalled peace talks.

The resumption of hostilities raises doubts about whether similar truces can be repeated. Both Lantratova and Lubinets called for the initiative to be expanded, and Kyiv said it would consider nationwide pauses if conditions allowed. Moscow, however, reiterated that no further ceasefires are planned. Observers note that breaking the truce risks undermining Russia’s attempt to court the Trump administration, a factor that may have motivated the original pause. The next steps will likely hinge on whether either side sees a strategic benefit in more humanitarian pauses or whether the conflict will continue unabated.