Ukraine's Kherson ceasefire ends as Russia refuses extension; strikes knock out power across country

The longest localized ceasefire of Russia's war in Ukraine ended Sunday night when Russia refused to extend a six-day truce in the southern Kherson region, even as Russian strikes elsewhere knocked out power to tens of thousands of Ukrainians and a drone attack in central Ukraine killed at least three people, including a 13-year-old girl.

The truce, which covered the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky and surrounding areas of Kherson, expired at 10:59 p.m. local time (20:59 GMT) on Sunday, November 1. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry had offered an extension, but according to a senior Ukrainian official who spoke to AFP, "the Russians don't want to."

The ceasefire, which was in effect from October 27 to November 1, has ended.— Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights

Lubinets called the truce "an important step in our joint humanitarian efforts" with Russia. Neither side reported violations during the six days of the pause, and a Ukrainian lawmaker had described the halt as the "biggest de-escalation since 2022."

The ceasefire was brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump, with additional involvement from Pope Leo XIV, as Washington sought to revive peace talks after more than four and a half years of fighting. The agreement was announced on October 23. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump called on social media for the truce to become a foundation for something larger.

The ceasefire across Oleshky and the surrounding Kherson region has provided residents with the freedom to move, access to food, clean water, medicine, plus a renewed sense of dignity without the constant threat of attack. Let Oleshky become the starting point for lasting peace.— Donald Trump, US President

Oleshky, on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River opposite Ukrainian-held Kherson city, had a pre-war population of 24,000. Russian forces seized it in the first days of the February 2022 invasion. By the time the ceasefire took effect, around 2,000 civilians remained in the town, trapped by mines and drone attacks, according to the United Nations. They were given the choice of evacuating to Ukrainian- or Russian-controlled territory, or staying in a city that was resupplied during the truce.

Hundreds of people ultimately left. Evacuees traveled by bus through Russia and Belarus before entering Ukrainian territory. On the final day of the ceasefire alone, the Ukrainian military evacuated a further 167 civilians, including 22 children and 21 people with limited mobility, according to the army's general staff.

For those who remained near the front line during the ceasefire, the quiet was palpable.

We have to use this time to get things done. We're pruning the rose bushes for winter.— Volodymyr Omeltchenko, 38-year-old gardener, Kherson region resident

Pope Leo XIV, who had pressed Russia to agree to the truce, said he hoped the pause would "strengthen the desire for dialogue and lead to new concrete peace initiatives." But the relief was shadowed by military concern. A Ukrainian military officer, speaking anonymously to AFP, warned that fighting would be "worse than before" when it resumed, saying Russian forces had used the calm to amass troops and ammunition and gather intelligence on Ukrainian positions.

That warning came against a backdrop of continued Russian strikes across the rest of the country. Overnight into November 1, Russian attacks on energy infrastructure across regions left tens of thousands of homes without power. Some connections were later restored.

In central Ukraine, a Russian drone attack on Koziatyn in Vinnytsia region killed at least three people and injured four others, including three children. Vinnytsia regional military administrator Nataliya Zabolotna confirmed on Facebook that a 13-year-old girl was among the dead, and that injured victims included two five-year-old children and a 16-year-old boy.

Adding to Sunday's turbulence, Ukraine's Air Force warned that its public air raid alert app had been hacked. For a brief period, the app showed Kyiv and other areas under a nuclear alert — a false alarm that the Air Force quickly moved to correct.

The air alert app appears to have been subjected to enemy influence. There is no radiation threat! Stay calm and follow our updates on our channel!— Ukrainian Air Force

As of early November 2, no immediate resumption of fighting had been reported in the Kherson area around Oleshky. Kherson's local governor, Olexander Prokudin, called on residents to remain alert and warned people not to approach areas near the Dnipro River, where Ukrainian officials said Russian drone and artillery activity remained high.

Oleshky was also hit hard by flooding after the destruction of the nearby Kakhovka Dam in 2023, compounding years of war damage and leaving residents in acute need of food, medicine and basic supplies — the conditions that made the humanitarian mission possible in the first place.

Why it matters — The collapse of the Oleshky ceasefire — with Russia refusing any extension despite no violations — tests whether the US- and Vatican-brokered pause was a genuine step toward peace or a brief tactical interlude, as Ukrainian forces brace for what their own officers warn could be intensified fighting.

Sources differ on Death toll from Koziatyn/Vinnytsia drone strike: At least three killed (dw.com) vs Two killed (theinsightinternational.com)

Reported by co.jp, japannews.yomiuri.co.jp, theinsightinternational.com, aljazeera.com, dw.com, aryanews.com