Zelenskyy Honours Melania Trump for Role in Brokering Oleshky Truce

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, 5 November, awarded US First Lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, First Class. The honour recognises her part in brokering a partial ceasefire that allowed civilians to be evacuated from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky on the southern front. A decree on the presidential website cited her significant personal contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine and her human rights and charitable work.

Melania Trump announced the localised truce between Ukrainian and Russian forces last month, so that residents could leave after weeks of food and medicine shortages. She said nearly 800 people were evacuated. This week Ukraine accused Russia of using the truce to strengthen its military position, while the Kremlin called adjusting positions during a ceasefire "standard practice".

Other developments

The SBU, Ukraine's internal security service, said its head, Oleksandr Poklad, had removed two senior officials implicated in an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) into bogus call centres. The SBU said it fully supported the probe. The two agencies have long been at odds. The scandal led Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko to resign in September after his offices were searched; he denies wrongdoing.

Zelenskyy made a surprise visit to Madrid during a summit of Latin American leaders to seek fresh military support. He said the priority was strengthening air defences and expanding defence cooperation and production, adding that further support steps were being prepared.

Russian attacks caused hours-long power and water outages in Kyiv and surrounding regions. Zelenskyy said the death toll from Monday's strike on the village of Komyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region had risen to 40. Guided bombs hit a former school and a nearby shelter as residents waited for humanitarian aid, and 30 more people may still be under the rubble.

In Russia's Belgorod region, officials said a Ukrainian drone killed three members of one family, including an eight-year-old child, in a minibus.

The UK apologised to Ukrainian child refugees who had been told to study Russian in English schools, as it launched funding for a new GCSE in Ukrainian. Canada joined a coalition of countries refusing to play ice hockey teams from Russia; Prime Minister Mark Carney said Russian players cannot compete in next month's world junior championship.