Russia blocked evacuation from occupied Oleshky, residents are starving
Russia has blocked humanitarian evacuation from occupied Oleshky, even though Ukraine said it was ready to provide safe routes and a ceasefire. Since 2023, the town has been without electricity, gas and drinking water; residents are starving, and Kyiv delivers food by drones. At the UN General Assembly, the situation was called a complete blockade.
Sources
· 4Россия заблокировала эвакуацию гражданских из оккупированных Олешек и отвергла предложения Украины
1Украина доставляет еду дронами голодающим жителям оккупированных Олешек
2Жители Олешек едят сорняки из-за блокады продовольствия и воды
3Жители оккупированных Алешек голодают: продукты не завозили с конца мая
4Key points
- Russia blocked humanitarian evacuation from occupied Oleshky and rejected Ukraine's proposals to involve the International Committee of the Red Cross.
- Around 2,000 people remain in the town, including about 50 children; since 2023 Oleshky has been without electricity, gas and drinking water.
- Residents eat weeds and survive on one meal a day; on September 20 a drone killed a husband and wife who were carrying food from Radensk.
- Ukraine delivers food by drones into the combat zone, and Ukraine's foreign minister called the situation a "complete blockade" at the UN General Assembly.
What happened
Russia blocked the humanitarian evacuation of civilians from the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in Kherson Oblast, despite Ukraine's readiness to provide safe routes and a ceasefire. Russia rejected all proposals.
Oleshky, a town occupied by Russian forces 9 kilometers from Kherson, has been without electricity, gas or drinking water since the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in 2023. Ukrainian teams deliver food into the combat zone by drones; Kyiv says local residents are starving. Residents eat weeds and survive on one meal a day. A husband and wife were killed by a drone on September 20 as they returned to Oleshky with a bag of food from Radensk, 23 km away; four separate sources confirmed the deaths of two civilians transporting food. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the situation a "complete blockade" at the UN General Assembly.
Why it matters
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the situation a "complete blockade" at the UN General Assembly. The deaths of civilians trying to bring food were confirmed by four separate sources.
What changed
Earlier it was reported that Ukraine was negotiating with Russia on the evacuation of about 6,000 people from the Oleshky community, but Russia did not confirm participation. Now the human rights commissioner said Russia blocked the evacuation and rejected all of Kyiv's proposals.