A localized ceasefire has allowed humanitarian aid to reach the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky, officials said Thursday, as efforts to clear landmines continued and the truce extended into its third day. The ceasefire, observed by both Russian and Ukrainian forces since Tuesday, marks a rare pause in hostilities near the heavily damaged city.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman and head of its negotiating team, confirmed that landmines along designated routes have been cleared, paving the way for aid deliveries scheduled to begin on Friday. This development follows several previous attempts at ceasefires that either collapsed quickly or failed to gain traction.

The truce applies specifically to Oleshky and its immediate surroundings in southern Ukraine, where fighting has severely disrupted civilian life since Russia’s full-scale invasion over four and a half years ago. While both sides have maintained the localized cessation of hostilities, broader conflicts between Moscow and Kyiv persist across other frontlines.

Negotiators have emphasized the importance of sustaining these narrow pauses to facilitate humanitarian operations amid the protracted war. Aid organizations are preparing to distribute critical supplies, including food, medicine, and shelter materials, to residents who have endured extensive destruction and displacement.

As of Thursday, neither side has indicated plans to expand the ceasefire beyond the designated area, and the overall conflict continues with no comprehensive peace agreement in sight. Nonetheless, the temporary truce in Oleshky represents a small but significant effort to alleviate civilian suffering in one of the war’s most affected regions.