{
  "id": 8077497,
  "title": "The situation in Russian-occupied Oleshky was dire. Now it's 'hell'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/the-situation-in-russian-occupied-oleshky-was-dire-now-its-hell",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T18:47:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Independent",
    "slug": "kyiv-independent",
    "url": "https://kyivindependent.com/the-situation-in-russian-occupied-oleshky-was-dire-now-its-hell/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine is experiencing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Constant Russian drone attacks and artillery shelling have severely disrupted the delivery of essential food and medicine supplies, making it impossible for civilians to evacuate by road. The situation has become so dire that residents are desperate to escape this \"hell,\" according to Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman.\n\nWith only about 2,000 people remaining in the city, out of the prewar population of around 24,000, only 50 children are still present. Tetiana Hasanenko, the exiled head of the Ukrainian Oleshky City Military Administration, expressed the urgent need for aid, stating that even evacuation efforts have become impossible due to Russia's refusal to cooperate.\n\nThe International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been willing to assist, and Ukrainian forces have prepared for a safe evacuation mission. However, Russia has not confirmed its readiness to participate. Ukraine continues to urge Russia to allow the evacuation and remains in contact with international organizations.\n\nThe food situation in Oleshky has worsened over the past few months. By New Year's, there were shortages of eggs, and apples were scarce. Bread deliveries stopped by spring, and now, there is virtually no availability of basic products such as meat, flour, oil, butter, and ready-made bread. Local residents have reported purchasing bread in jars to preserve it. Multiple attempts to deliver food to the city have been thwarted by Russian drone attacks, resulting in casualties and injuries.\n\nThe local hospital, once operational, is now struggling to function without basic medical supplies, electricity, or running water. Only four elderly doctors remain, but they can only manage to stop bleeding due to the lack of medications. Since Russia destroyed the Kakhovka Dam in 2023, the hospital has relied on generators, and fuel supplies have become scarce. The evacuation of civilians from Oleshky occurred on May 26, and no one has entered the city since, as residents risk their lives by walking through minefields or getting struck by Russian drones.",
  "summary": "Residents in Russian-occupied Oleshky in Kherson Oblast face an escalating humanitarian crisis, as constant Russian drone attacks and artillery shelling have made it impossible to deliver essential food and medicine supplies or evacuate civilians by road. \"These people need to be saved,\" Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, said on Sept. 16, adding that residents are desperate to…",
  "key_points": [
    "Oleshky, Ukraine, faces catastrophic humanitarian crisis due to Russian attacks.",
    "Only 50 children remain out of 24,000 prewar population.",
    "International Committee of the Red Cross willing to assist, but Russia hasn't confirmed cooperation."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}