Ukraine nears breakthrough on civilian evacuation from Russia-occupied Oleshky
Russia-occupied city of Oleshky, Kherson region, Ukraine (photo: facebook.com/dmytro.lubinets)
Ukraine is close to resolving the issue of evacuating civilians from the temporarily occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region. The city's situation is critical, with residents facing food and medicine shortages that put their lives at risk, Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament's human rights commissioner, said.
Situation in Russia-occupied Oleshky
According to the ombudsman, the situation in Oleshky has effectively reached the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. Residents are not only going without essential food and medicine but are also constantly exposed to danger.
"Our information says people there are no longer just suffering from shortages of food or medicine—they are actually dying. The Ukrainian side has done everything possible to resolve this issue, and we are now practically on the home stretch toward finally evacuating Ukrainian citizens who need it," the ombudsman said.
He specified that the evacuation involves thousands of civilians, including children. Ukraine continues to hold difficult daily negotiations with Russia on the issue.
How Ukraine's military helps Oleshky residents
While negotiations continue, Ukrainian troops are trying to support local residents by delivering essential supplies using drones. These include drinking water, food, and medicine.
However, according to Lubinets, Russian forces are trying to shoot down drones delivering aid. They are also detaining people who receive aid from the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The ombudsman also reported cases in which Russian troops move into civilians' homes and take their last remaining food supplies.
As previously reported, the Russian occupation has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Oleshky, where residents are starving and forced to eat grass and weeds. Russian troops in occupied Oleshky have prepared instructions for staged video interviews with local residents.
Under the Russians' plan, residents are supposed to blame the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the humanitarian crisis and for obstructing aid deliveries, while portraying Russian troops as the ones supposedly keeping them alive. Read more about the situation in Oleshky in RBC-Ukraine's report.
