Residents in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson said onTuesday (October 27) that it felt noticeably quieter as a local ceasefire around the Russian-held town of Oleshky came into effect across the Dnipro River.

One resident, 37-year-old Oleksandra, said the city had experienced calm periods before, though she noted an absence of the drones that regularly threaten the area.

Others, like 90-year-old Hennadii, said the reduction in shelling and aerial activity was evident.

The city has faced frequent Russian attacks since Ukrainian forces retook it in November 2022.

The ceasefire is intended to allow humanitarian aid into Russian-held Oleshky, located a few kilometres to the east of Kherson, and facilitate the evacuation of civilians from the war-damaged town, where residents have reported severe shortages of food, water and medicine.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Kherson residents welcome rare calm after Oleshky ceasefire takes hold

VIDEO SHOWS: KHERSON VIEWS / RESIDENTS COMMENTING ON OLESHKY CEASEFIRE

SHOWS: KHERSON, UKRAINE (OCTOBER 27, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF DESTROYED KHERSON REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AT KHERSON CENTRAL SQUARE

2. VARIOUS OF WAR-DAMAGED BUILDING

3. PEOPLE WALKING IN CENTRAL KHERSON

4. DAMAGED FACADE

5. SCOOTER AND CAR PASSING BY UNDER ANTI-DRONE NETTING

6. BURNED OUT CAR NEAR TREE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) LOCAL RESIDENT, OLEKSANDRA (NO SURNAME GIVEN), 37 YEARS OLD, SAYING:

"Yes, it's calm today. As to what has changed (since the ceasefire took effect), we've had calm days before too. So, it doesn't seem like something special."

8. VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) LOCAL RESIDENT, OLEKSANDRA (NO SURNAME GIVEN), 37 YEARS OLD, SAYING:

"They haven't shelled our district (centre) much recently, they were targeting more the 'Ostriv' district. The one thing I noticed is that there are no drones buzzing in the sky."

10. PEOPLE WALKING

11. RESIDENT SPEAKING ON PHONE, SITTING ON BENCH

12. UKRAINIAN FLAG, WORDS READING (Ukrainian): "Dear God, save Ukraine!"

13. PEOPLE WALKING

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LOCAL RESIDENT, HENNADII (NO SURNAME GIVEN), 90 YEARS OLD, SAYING:

"Of course, I know for a fact that it has become calmer. Of course, there's a ceasefire! My grandsons are in the army, my great-grandsons are in the army. One grandson is being treated in Ivano-Frankivsk (hospital), and my wife will get her leg amputated. They hit her in the leg. They broke her collarbone too, she's had seven surgeries."

15. EMPTY PEDESTRIAN STREET

16. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LOCAL RESIDENT, HENNADII (NO SURNAME GIVEN), 90 YEARS OLD, SAYING:

"She's in the regional hospital, and her leg is going to be amputated, they couldn't do it there first where she's had seven surgeries. That's how it is. It's good that I am still mobile at 90 years old."

JOURNALIST ASKING (Russian): "Is it calmer now?"

HENNADII SAYING (Russian): "Yes, who says it isn't? We have a ceasefire now, they told us so, and no-one's shooting."

17. PROJECTILE STRUCK IN STREET / CAR DRIVING PAST

18. PROJECTILE STRUCK IN STREET

19. VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS

20. STRAY DOGS IN FRONT OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS

21. MAN WALKING BEHIND ANTI-DRONE NETTING

22. PERSON WALKING THROUGH CENTRAL SQUARE