Humanitarian crisis deepens in occupied Oleshky as residents flee amid food shortage and attacks

The Ukrainian city of Oleshky, occupied by Russian forces since 2022, now has an estimated 2,000 residents out of a pre-war population of about 40,000, according to Tetiana Hasanenko, head of the Oleshky Military Administration. She warned that conditions are deteriorating rapidly and that “we are not talking about them surviving the winter.”

Residents have been forced to ration scarce food, cope with chronic medication shortages and move between abandoned houses to avoid drone strikes and Russian troops. One message shared with reporters described the situation as a “complete blockade” and likened it to a horror movie.

Volunteer coordinator Kseniia Arkhipova, who assists people trying to leave, said a recent convoy of food supplies was attacked, prompting a new wave of evacuations. She recounted that drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles after drones disabled them, forcing them to walk 100 kilometres on foot. With no food available, many now attempt the “road of death” to the village of Radensk, a 14-mile trek littered with mines and under constant drone surveillance.

In Radensk, evacuees can obtain limited food and overnight shelter before seeking transport further into Russian-held Kherson or toward the Black Sea coast, where they hope to arrange costly passages to Ukrainian-controlled territory, often via Belarus. Arkhipova estimates the expense at up to $500 per person and says she has helped 47 people escape in September.

The city’s hospital is operating without electricity or fuel, and staff are struggling to provide care. Hasanenko described bodies lying in the streets and in the hospital basement, noting the lack of burial capacity.

Ukrainian military spokesperson Pavlo Drogal said Ukrainian drones monitor the left bank daily, observing severe deficits of drinking water, electricity and food, and documented Russian troops looting homes and using civilian areas for cover. He denied Ukrainian forces mine the area, attributing all mining to the occupiers.

At the United Nations General Assembly, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warned of a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Oleshky and called for immediate evacuation, accusing Russia of deliberately starving the population. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the “critical situation” but blamed Ukrainian forces for blocking aid deliveries.

Despite international attention, Arkhipova expressed skepticism about forthcoming assistance, saying officials and NGOs have done little beyond offering reassurance. She noted that some residents refuse to leave, insisting they will stay in their homes despite the risks.