MOSCOW, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Russian forces will cease fire and introduce a "silence regime" in the Kherson region from 4 a.m. Moscow time (0100 GMT) on Oct. 27 to facilitate a humanitarian operation, the Russian Ministry of Defense said Friday.
Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and first deputy defense minister, announced the measure on social media platform Telegram, saying it was linked to the planned humanitarian operation in the area.
The White House said earlier Friday that the United States had secured an agreement on a local ceasefire in Oleshky, which would take effect on Oct. 29.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that U.S. First Lady Melania Trump played a coordinating role in organizing the humanitarian mission in Oleshky.
Oleshky is located on the left bank of the Dnieper River, opposite the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kherson. The town has been facing a severe humanitarian situation, with residents reporting worsening shortages of food and other essential supplies amid continuous fighting. ■