In brief
Oleshky, a Ukrainian city held by Russia since 2022, faces a humanitarian crisis as residents are cut off from basic supplies and are left to sustain themselves on garden weeds. The loss of electricity, gas, and water, compounded by the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam, has left the town dependent on a single food delivery that took place last May. Drone strikes and minefields have caused at least 29 civilian deaths, while burial restrictions by occupation authorities continue to leave bodies unburied and many communities traumatized. Aid deliveries have stalled despite Ukrainian government claims, and international appeals for humanitarian passage remain unanswered, trapping Oleshky in a full blockade.
Survival in Oleshky: Residents Turn to Weeds Amid Food, Water Rations
Oleshky, an eastern Ukrainian city under Russian occupation since 2022, is facing a severe humanitarian crisis. Residents are cut off from basic supplies as the city lies between the Dnipro River and Russian forces.
With no electricity, gas or fresh water, locals have turned to cooking garden weeds to starve. The last official food delivery reached the town in May, and many people now eat once a day.
The area was further devastated by the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam in June 2023, flooding homes and compounding the crisis. Casualty reports from the UN and local volunteers count at least 29 dead and 54 injured in Oleshky and nearby Hola Prystan.
Residents also face restrictions on burial of dead. Russian occupation authorities require a post mortem by a Russian doctor before a body can be buried, leaving many victims unburied since December.
While the Ukrainian government claims continued efforts to supply the city, aid deliveries have largely stalled. International calls for passage of humanitarian shipments remain unanswered, leaving Oleshky trapped in a full blockade.
The psychological toll is immense. Volunteers like Ksenia Arkhipova keep a spreadsheet of victims, and community members fear that trying to bury bodies may make them the next target.
