Trapped Oleshky Residents Resort to Eating Weeds Amid Russian Occupation
Civilians in the occupied Ukrainian city face severe shortages of food, water, and medical care, with reports of deaths and a lack of basic services.
Residents of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky are facing a dire humanitarian crisis, resorting to eating garden weeds as they are cut off from essential supplies, according to reports from the BBC.
The city, located in the southern Kherson region, has been under Russian occupation since 2022 and is now trapped between the Dnipro River and Russian forces. It was also severely affected by the 2023 collapse of the Nova Kakhovka Dam, which flooded buildings. Before the invasion, Oleshky was home to 24,000 people; Ukrainian government estimates now place the remaining population at around 6,000, including 200 children.
Residents describe being "constantly shelled" and lacking access to food and water. One resident, identified only as Halia, recounted the deaths of a couple who were killed by a drone on September 20 while attempting to bring food from the nearby town of Radensk. This incident, along with others, highlights the extreme dangers civilians face when trying to secure necessities.
Limited medical services are available, with reports indicating only one hospital is partially operational, primarily for critical amputations. Children in the wider Oleshky area are said to be suffering from malnutrition and a lack of education. The city has been without electricity, gas, or running water since the Kakhovka dam incident.
The Kremlin has acknowledged a "critical situation" in Oleshky with "problems with supplies of food and medicine," but has blamed Kyiv for the issues. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has called on the international community to pressure Russia to allow humanitarian aid into the city.
Survivors speak of a "full blockade" by Russian forces. With no shops open, residents are relying on sharing or swapping scarce resources. Discussions on local messaging apps focus on identifying edible weeds and coordinating food supplies. Many have attempted to leave the city on foot, but the danger of landmines has made this increasingly perilous.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has recorded at least 29 civilian deaths and 54 injuries in Oleshky and nearby Hola Prystan this year. Local volunteers estimate the actual number could be significantly higher. Volunteers are attempting to document the deceased, with one volunteer compiling a list of around 1,200 individuals.
Compounding the crisis, residents report that Russian occupation authorities have restricted burials for civilians killed by shelling, drones, or mines. Deaths are reportedly only permitted to be recorded as natural causes, with post-mortem examinations by Russian doctors required for other fatalities, which is not feasible in Oleshky. This has led to bodies remaining unburied, with some reportedly left in the local hospital morgue lacking power since winter, or being consumed by stray dogs. Humanitarian organizations describe the situation as a tactic of "psychological pressure" aimed at controlling the population.