Ukraine Accuses Russia Of Turning Oleshky Into ‘Death Trap’ Amid Starvation, Medicine Shortages

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Saturday accused Russian forces of turning the occupied town of Oleshky into a “death trap”, citing severe food shortages, a lack of medicines and bodies lying unburied. He urged international organisations to secure humanitarian access and safe evacuation routes for residents.

Sybiha’s statement on X came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged during a conversation with Pope Leo to cooperate in delivering essential supplies to the town in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.

“Russians are trying to turn the Ukrainian town of Oleshky into a death trap. The hospital has run out of medicine. Dozens of bodies lie in the streets or in homes, as Russians forbid residents from burying them,” Sybiha wrote.

He said families were struggling to find food and surviving on leftover garden vegetables, preserved food and even snails.

“Ukraine has repeatedly called for safe evacuation and international humanitarian access. These appeals cannot remain unanswered,” the foreign minister added.

Sybiha called on the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations to establish safe evacuation corridors and ensure immediate access to the town.

Kremlin Acknowledges Food And Medical Supply Problems

The Kremlin acknowledged in September that Oleshky was facing critical shortages of food and medical supplies but said Russian forces were working to address the problems.

Ukraine’s military has twice used drones to deliver food and medicine to the town, according to the report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation in Oleshky as “genocide” earlier this week, underscoring Kyiv’s concerns about the plight of civilians living under Russian occupation.

Oleshky lies on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region, most of which was occupied by Russian forces shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian forces later recaptured substantial territory in a counteroffensive, including the city of Kherson on the river’s western bank.

Oleshky Population Falls From 24,000 To Around 1,700

Oleshky had a pre-war population of approximately 24,000. It is now home to around 1,700 residents, including 47 children, according to Danielle Bell, head of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

The reported shortages and restrictions have raised concerns about the safety of civilians remaining in the town, particularly children, older people and those requiring medical treatment.

Meanwhile, local prosecutors said on Saturday that Russian forces had dropped aerial bombs on Kherson, across the Dnipro River from Oleshky. The attack killed an ambulance driver and wounded 40 people, they said.

The latest developments have intensified calls for international humanitarian organisations to gain access to affected communities and help civilians leave areas where essential supplies and medical services have become critically scarce.