Russian troops confiscate Ukrainian drone-delivered food in occupied Oleshky as civilians injured by mines while fleeing, officials say

Live updates

1. 1d ago

   Russian Forces Confiscate Food in Besieged Oleshky

   Russian troops in occupied Oleshky are intercepting and confiscating food supplies dropped by Ukrainian drones, intensifying a severe humanitarian crisis. Remaining residents face extreme starvation, resorting to eating weeds to survive while trapped under a strict Russian siege. Russian soldiers have reportedly entered civilian homes to threaten starving locals for food and alcohol. Meanwhile, civilians fleeing the area have suffered injuries from landmines, and safe evacuation routes remain nearly impossible. Ukrainian authorities have escalated the crisis to international bodies, demanding immediate intervention to halt the blockade and alleviate the catastrophic conditions.

   Why it matters

   The town of Oleshky has fallen into a severe humanitarian disaster under Russian occupation, with food deliveries halted and residents cut off from basic survival necessities. Local religious organizations and the Ukrainian government have appealed to international institutions, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Vatican, to pressure Moscow into lifting the siege. The situation highlights the weaponization of basic survival needs in occupied territories, where traditional aid access is denied and alternative delivery methods face military obstruction.

   What is confirmed

   • Russian troops have confiscated Ukrainian drone-delivered food in occupied Oleshky.
   • Civilians attempting to flee the area have been injured by mines.
   • Ukraine has taken the Oleshky starvation crisis to the OSCE.
   • Ukraine's Foreign Ministry urged the international community to demand Russia end the siege of Oleshky.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Russian troops enter homes and threaten starving Oleshky residents for food and alcohol.

   What to watch next

   • International diplomatic pressure or intervention from the OSCE and the Vatican
   • Changes in the ability of Ukrainian drones to successfully bypass Russian forces to deliver aid
   • Development of safe evacuation corridors for remaining civilians trapped in Oleshky
   Sources used for this update (12)

   1. theguardian.com — ‘Hell on earth’: last residents eat weeds to survive in Russian-occupied Oleshky
   2. Meduza — A humanitarian crisis is gripping Russian-occupied Oleshky as food deliveries stop and safe evacuation becomes nearly impossible
   3. Reuters — Ukraine uses drones to deliver food to Russian-occupied Oleshky
   4. kyivpost.com — ‘Held Hostage’: Ukraine Takes Oleshky Starvation Crisis to OSCE
   5. The Kyiv Independent — Russian troops confiscate Ukrainian drone-delivered food in occupied Oleshky as civilians injured by mines while fleeing, officials say
   6. Українська правда — Ukraine's Foreign Ministry urges international community to demand Russia end siege of Oleshky
   7. euromaidanpress.com — Russian troops enter homes and threaten starving Oleshky residents for food and alcohol, officials say
   8. UNITED24 Media — Ukraine Appeals to OSCE as Civilians Face Starvation in Temporarily Russian-Occupied Oleshky
   9. christiantoday.com — Ukrainian churches appeal for aid in starving Oleshky
   10. Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) — Russia: A Menu of Death in Ukraine’s Small Towns
   11. Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention — Ukrainian Churches Urge Pope to Intervene Over Oleshky Starvation
   12. New Eastern Europe — “Do you know what the Oleshki morgue is?” – What a humanitarian disaster looks like
   confidence 95%