Council of Europe commissioner urges ceasefire as humanitarian crisis deepens in Oleshky

The Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Michael O’Flaherty, said on Sept. 25 that the humanitarian situation in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, Kherson region, is deteriorating rapidly. He urged an immediate local ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access and safe evacuation of civilians, noting that under international humanitarian law the occupying power must provide food, medical supplies and relief.

Residents of Oleshky have faced prolonged shortages of food, drinking water and electricity since the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in 2023. The last successful food delivery occurred on May 26, and subsequent attempts in early June and early September were disrupted by Russian drone attacks that killed two people. A local resident told the Kyiv Independent that the town’s houses are leaking, firewood is scarce and civilian casualties have risen in the past week.

Russian forces continue to occupy Oleshky and the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, using the area to launch attacks on the liberated city of Kherson. Deputy head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, said Russian troops embed weapons in residential neighborhoods and rely on the presence of civilians to shield their positions.

In parallel, Ukraine’s military struck several Russian military facilities in occupied parts of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts on Sept. 23-24, hitting radar stations, a drone-launch site and a fuel depot, according to the General Staff.

The United States announced on Sept. 24 that it will allocate $27 million to support the identification, return and reintegration of Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia. The funding will be split between a $12 million program and an additional $15 million grant to an implementing organization later this year. Ukrainian officials have confirmed more than 20,000 cases of child deportations, though they suspect the true number is higher.

Separately, Ukraine reported that 23 children were rescued from occupied territories during the past week through the “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative, which is part of the president’s effort to repatriate displaced minors.

The European Union and Ukraine have condemned Russia’s parliamentary elections held on Sept. 18-20, which included voting in occupied Ukrainian territories. Ukrainian election expert Dementiy Bilyi described the vote as an attempt by Moscow to portray local support for Russian rule.

Efforts to evacuate Oleshky’s civilians remain stalled, as Russian authorities have not confirmed readiness for a humanitarian mission despite coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross and Ukrainian officials.