Ukraine's city of Oleshky faces starvation as Russia blocks all aid

Key Points:

• Ukrainian forces have delivered approximately 4 tonnes of food to the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region via drone, marking one of the largest humanitarian operations of the war amid a worsening crisis for the roughly 2,000 residents remaining.
• Russian forces are actively obstructing aid efforts by shooting down drones, confiscating supplies, detaining residents with humanitarian parcels, and blocking civilian evacuations, while conducting house-to-house searches for food.
• The humanitarian situation in Oleshky has deteriorated sharply since the June 2023 destruction of the Kakhovka dam, causing flooding, destruction of homes, and shortages of food, medicine, and basic services, with reports of unburied bodies and residents forced to eat grass to survive.
• Kyiv has proposed a humanitarian evacuation plan involving the International Committee of the Red Cross, but Russia has not agreed to allow access, prompting calls from Ukrainian officials and international organizations for secured humanitarian corridors.
• International bodies, including the UN and Council of Europe, have described the situation as desperate and in violation of international law, urging Russia to fulfill its obligations to ensure civilians have access to food and medical care, while the Kremlin blames Kyiv for blocking aid deliveries.