India, Oct. 27 -- Russia and Ukraine began observing a localised ceasefire in a devastated southern Ukrainian city on Tuesday, ahead of a planned humanitarian mission brokered by US first lady Melania Trump. But Moscow kept up its deadly missile attacks on other cities in the meantime.

Meanwhile, Finland's president and Norway's prime minister spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, officials said, in their first known direct contact since shortly after Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine began on February. 24, 2022.

The war launched by Russia set most of Europe against Moscow, with Western officials accusing Putin of masterminding a campaign of disruption across the continent.

After their conversation with Putin, No...