Oleshky residents face impossible choice: starve or risk minefields to escape
Twelve people reached Ukraine-controlled territory from Russian-occupied Oleshky in September 2026, according to the local military administration. Approximately 2,000 residents, including nearly 50 children, remain trapped in the city, facing severe shortages of food, water, and electricity. Organized evacuations have become impossible due to minefields and drone attacks, forcing some civilians to walk alone through hazardous routes. The local hospital lacks basic supplies, and Russian forces block humanitarian aid, creating a humanitarian catastrophe.
