The Russians smuggled heavy weapons in and corpses out during the ceasefire.

During a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky, Russian forces reinforced their positions and occupied new ones, taking advantage of the situation. Sky News released footage showing military vehicles marked with Red Cross symbols transporting troops and supplies to Russian troops. The ceasefire allowed Russians to search for secure locations and erase evidence of war crimes by removing bodies from a local morgue. Oleshky, previously home to 24,000 residents, was captured by Russians early in the war. Although Ukrainian forces recaptured nearby Kherson in November 2022, they lacked the strength to cross the Dnieper River. Most of the remaining 1,700 residents chose to evacuate during the ceasefire.