Residents of the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky are dying from hunger and cold due to a complete humanitarian blockade [1, 2, 3].
The crisis represents a severe humanitarian catastrophe because the blockade cuts off essential lifelines, including water, electricity, heating, and medical supplies, to a civilian population trapped behind enemy lines [2, 3].
Located on the left bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region, Oleshky has become a site of extreme deprivation [1, 2, 3]. Russian forces have imposed a full blockade that prevents the entry of food and medicine, leaving the remaining population to struggle for survival [2, 3].
Reports indicate that the crisis peaked during the winter and spring of 2024 [2]. During this period, the lack of heating and nutrition led to fatalities among the town's residents [2, 3]. Some families, such as the Maretsky family, managed to flee the town to reach Ukrainian-controlled Kherson [1].
Estimates regarding the remaining population vary. One report said that up to 2,000 residents remain in Oleshky [2], while other accounts suggest the number of affected people reaches several thousand [3]. The blockade has effectively isolated these civilians from any reliable source of aid or evacuation.
Survivors describe a landscape of abandoned houses and blocked streets [1]. The combination of mined roads and military restrictions has made the town nearly impossible to exit or enter, compounding the desperation of those still inside [2].
“People are dying from cold and hunger as a result of a complete humanitarian blockade”
The situation in Oleshky illustrates the use of total blockades as a tool of war, where the denial of basic necessities like water and medicine creates a lethal environment for non-combatants. Because the town is located on the left bank of the Dnipro, its geographic isolation makes the population entirely dependent on the occupying force for survival, turning the lack of humanitarian corridors into a critical survival threat.
