What Russia's military buildup during Oleshky ceasefire could mean for Kherson Oblast

Résumé détaillé

After several days of quiet, the familiar buzzing of FPV drones and near-constant rumble of artillery fire have returned to Kherson. The sounds quickly drowned out the sense of security that had settled in during a ceasefire, replacing it with fear and uncertainty. For five days, from Oct. 27 to Nov.

A man carrying bags walks past a building destroyed in a previous Russian airstrike during a temporary ceasefire in Kherson, Ukraine, on Oct. 31, 2026. (Roman Pilipey / AFP via Getty Images)

After several days of quiet, the familiar buzzing of FPV drones and near-constant rumble of artillery fire have returned to Kherson. The sounds quickly drowned out the sense of security that had settled in during a ceasefire, replacing it with fear and uncertainty.

For five days, from Oct. 27 to Nov. 1, the ceasefire in Kherson Oblast, intended to evacuate civilians from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, gave Kherson residents a short reprieve from constant Russian strikes. Separated from Russian-occupied territory by the Dnipro River, the regional capital had not seen such freedom of movement since 2022.

Russian forces, meanwhile, took advantage of the pause to prepare for future military operations in violation of an agreement banning large-scale troop and equipment movements, Ukraine's military said.

"We were betting on (Russians) trying to bring in (a lot of military supplies). And our assumptions turned out to be correct," Yevhen Voronetskyi, head of the 34th Marine Brigade's communications department, told the Kyiv Independent.

"During the regime of silence, the rotation of Russian units, strengthening of positions, expansion of anti-drone means on the roads, and the increase in logistics, in particular the delivery of ammunition, were recorded."

On Nov. 1, Sky News published footage, captured by the 34th Marine Brigade's drones, showing Russian forces deploying heavy equipment and bringing in ammunition and other supplies to their positions. Some of their vehicles bore the red crosses typically associated with humanitarian missions.

Russian forces have repeatedly used ceasefires to strengthen their positions ahead of further advances into Ukraine. The buildup raises the question of a potential Russian push across the Dnipro River, although an analyst and military personnel…

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Début de l'article, extrait de The Kyiv Independent. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.