Residents of occupied Oleshky are forced to risk their lives to get food and medicine

Residents of the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region are fleeing the city due to a shortage of food, water, and medicine. At the same time, there are no safe routes out, and people risk stepping on landmines.

According to Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada’s Human Rights Commissioner, dozens of civilians are forced to leave the city on foot, by bicycle, or on mopeds to find essential food and supplies for themselves and their families.

 “The choice Russia forces on civilians every day: stay and starve to death, or leave and risk being blown up by a landmine,” Lubinets said.

The Ombudsman emphasized that blocking evacuation and humanitarian access constitutes a gross violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. According to him, despite calls from the EU to ensure civilians can safely leave Oleshky, the evacuation remains blocked.

Lubinec also appealed to international partners to help organize the evacuation of civilians. He noted that he had previously raised this issue with the ICRC and the UN.

Source: Dmytro Lubinets

Former residents of the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in Ukraine’s Kherson region report a worsening shortage of food and medicine in the town. People who are in contact with Oleshky residents said that due to limited communications and fear of reprisals by the occupying authorities, it is difficult to obtain information directly.

Russia may be attempting to exploit the humanitarian crisis in the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region to resupply its military units, which are terrorizing the civilian population of Kherson. Specifically, there are concerns about the possible organization of a pseudo-humanitarian convoy.