Russia and Ukraine begins ceasefire in Kherson to allow aid delivery

Russia and Ukraine begin observing a localised ceasefire negotiated by the US First Lady Melania Trump in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Tuesday to enable a vital humanitarian mission, but locals fear Moscow will use this temporary peace to reinforce their military.

The White House confirmed the pause was brokered by the first lady to allow emergency supplies into the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, where up to 2000 residents faced critical shortages of food and medicine.

Despite the respite in Kherson, Russian forces maintained missile strikes on other Ukrainian cities.

Trump said a lot of progress was being made on Ukraine, and he hoped to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy soon while both sides approached the high-stakes truce with caution.