Russia will continue its offensive in Ukraine during renewed U.S.-mediated peace negotiations, the Kremlin said Monday, while signaling willingness to consider limited humanitarian ceasefires such as a planned pause in the occupied city of Oleshky.
The distinction leaves a narrow opening for civilian relief without reducing Moscow's broader military campaign. Russian, Ukrainian and American representatives are expected to meet in Abu Dhabi during the first half of November, but no exact date or nationwide ceasefire has been announced.
"The decision to resume trilateral talks does not imply any restrictions on combat operations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to AFP.
"Our armed forces continue to carry out massive strikes on Ukraine's military-industrial complex," he added. That description reflects Moscow's account of its targets, rather than an independent assessment of every site struck.
Russia has increased drone and missile attacks in recent weeks, hitting energy facilities around major Ukrainian cities. Kyiv says the campaign is intended to deprive civilians of heat and electricity during winter.
AFP reported that Russian attacks last year left millions without those services as temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius. The latest strikes have renewed concerns about Ukraine's ability to maintain essential supplies through another winter.
Against that backdrop, the proposed Oleshky ceasefire would allow aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians from a city facing severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Asked whether Moscow would consider further local truces, Peskov replied: "For humanitarian purposes, absolutely."
The White House says first lady Melania Trump helped broker the Oleshky arrangement, and Russian officials have acknowledged her contribution. The operation would establish safe passage for humanitarian assistance and residents seeking to leave.
Ukrainian military officials and AFP indicated that the pause would begin early Tuesday, October 27. Ukraine's General Staff announced a start time of 3 a.m. in Kyiv, while Russian officials gave 4 a.m. in Moscow, corresponding to the same moment.
Those announcements differ from the White House's October 23 statement, which initially identified Thursday, October 29, as the starting date. The supplied accounts do not explain the discrepancy.
The White House estimates that between 1,700 and 2,000 people remain in Oleshky, primarily older residents. No formal population count has been conducted there since 2022.
Preparations are expected to include clearing mines from access routes before deliveries and evacuations can proceed. Details of how compliance would be independently verified remain unresolved, and the local arrangement would not halt attacks elsewhere.
The wider negotiations face disagreements that previous rounds have failed to resolve. According to AFP, Moscow is demanding further territory in eastern Ukraine along with extensive restrictions on Kyiv's military and political independence.
Ukraine and its allies reject those conditions as effectively requiring capitulation and leaving the country vulnerable to another Russian attack. Territorial concessions and future security guarantees remain central points of contention.
Peskov confirmed the proposed Abu Dhabi venue and November timeframe on October 23. His latest remarks attached no broader military restraint to Russia's participation.
