Ukraine's Council of Churches asks Pope Leo XIV to help save occupied Oleshky from starvation

The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations has appealed to Pope Leo XIV to assist the residents of the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in Kherson Oblast from starvation, according to the council's statement dated September 19. The council highlighted that Oleshky is under a blockade and facing a potential humanitarian crisis, with the last food supply arriving at the end of May 2026.

The town's population, estimated to be over 6,000 people, including around 200 children, is running out of food, clean water, medicine, and other essential supplies. The infrastructure is largely destroyed, with no electricity or gas supply, and the city is located near the front line, constantly under shelling and drone attacks.

The council urged the Pope, along with other religious leaders, human rights organizations, U.N. member states, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to take action to prevent mass starvation and evacuate the Oleshky residents to Ukrainian-controlled territory. A recent report by the German newspaper Bild confirmed that Oleshky is under a humanitarian blockade, with residents relying on their own gardens for sustenance as the summer season ends.

Reaching the city from Kherson is impossible, as Russian troops surround the town, preventing food from entering through checkpoints and turning people away. Despite Ukrainian authorities and international organizations attempting to negotiate an evacuation, Russian forces are using the humanitarian crisis as propaganda, claiming that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are blocking aid and attempting to shift blame onto Ukraine.