Ukraine Calls for Urgent Evacuation and Humanitarian Aid for Residents Trapped in Oleshky

Around 1,700 people are still trapped in the ruined Ukrainian city of Oleshky in the illegally occupied Kherson region, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Russian forces are blocking civilians from escaping and obstructing humanitarian aid, with the sole exit blocked by mines and guarded by drones, posing a lethal risk to anyone attempting to flee.

The nearby river is also mined, and residents fear the harsh winter will claim more lives. The city's hospital has run out of medicine, and dozens of bodies are lying in the streets and homes due to Russian forces' prohibition on burial. Families face severe food shortages, relying on leftover garden produce, preserved items, and even snails.

Russian soldiers have reportedly threatened residents with weapons to steal food. Ukraine has persistently demanded safe evacuations and international humanitarian access to Oleshky, with Sybiha urging the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Ukraine's international allies to use every possible channel to create safe evacuation routes and deliver aid urgently.

The foreign minister acknowledged those who have highlighted the residents' predicament and praised Pope Leo XIV for urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to declare a ceasefire in the city, enabling humanitarian assistance to reach the civilians. Sybiha emphasized that "people cannot survive on expressions of concern alone. They need concrete action. They need a way to get out of there, and they need it immediately."