Humanitarian disaster worsens in occupied Oleshky
Quick Look
- In the occupied city of Oleshky in Ukraine, a humanitarian disaster has been going on for over a year, and the situation is worsening in the face of profit with shortages of food, water, medicine and electricity.
- About 2,000 civilians, including 50 children, remain in the city, which has been under Russian occupation since 2022.
- Residents describe daily casualties from mines and difficulty evacuating due to mine-strewn roads.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Oleshky has been under Russian occupation since 2022, following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Before the war, about 24,000 people lived in the city.
According to Ukrainian authorities, a humanitarian disaster has been going on in the city of Oleshky for just over a year, but this autumn the situation looks set to worsen.
- The people there not only live under occupation, they are also completely isolated. As winter approaches, the supply of food is getting worse, says Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, deputy head of the Kherson regional military administration.
"Can't Abandon Them"
People that SVT has come into contact with confirm that they lack food, clean water, medicines and electricity.
One of those who remain in Oleshky is called Alla. She runs an animal shelter and writes to SVT that she cannot leave the city because of all the animals she looks after.
- I cannot evacuate my animals. They would fill two buses. One could abandon them, but that is not something I can imagine doing, she writes.
Many civilians remain
She is one of about 2,000 people who remain in Oleshky, according to Kherson's military administration. 50 of them are children.
The city has been occupied since 2022 and before the full-scale invasion, around 24,000 residents lived there.
- At least ten people die every day. Today my aunt saw our friend blow up on a mine and he is left dead in the street, writes the woman who keeps in touch with her family in Oleshky via Telegram.
"Marathon race on mined road"
Ukraine accuses Russia of blocking the evacuation of civilians and hindering supplies of food and medicine. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has responded by accusing Ukraine of hindering deliveries.
Everyone writes to SVT that she managed to get food in a neighboring town 20 kilometers away. But the road is filled with mines and is monitored by the Russian units.
- It is a marathon on a mined road, she writes to SVT.
Shortly thereafter, she stops responding. A few days later, Ukrainian media write that Alla was blown up on a mine - but survived. According to her friend, Alla will be able to walk again.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The humanitarian situation in Oleshky will further deteriorate during the winter unless humanitarian corridors are opened.
Likely · Within months
All will undergo rehabilitation and are expected to be able to walk again after their mine injury.
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- How many people have died in total in Oleshky since the occupation began?
- What concrete measures are international organizations taking to help the remaining residents?
- Will Alla be able to resume her work at the animal shelter after her injury?
