Ukraine brings humanitarian crisis in Russian-occupied Oleshky before OSCE (UPDATED)

The issue, formally titled “On the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky, temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation,” will be discussed on Oct. 1, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

Ukraine's delegation is expected to brief OSCE participating states on conditions in the occupied city, including the situation of children who remain there.

“The situation in Oleshky is critical and requires urgent action by the international community,” Sybiha said, calling for pressure on Russia to allow humanitarian relief into the city.

Oleshky, in the occupied part of Kherson Oblast near the front line, has been largely cut off from food supplies since late May. Ukrainian officials estimate that more than 6,000 people may remain in the city and surrounding area, including around 200 children.

Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said earlier this month that Russia had not confirmed its readiness to allow a humanitarian evacuation mission from Oleshky.

On Sept. 27, Ukrainian forces used drones to deliver around four metric tons of food to residents of the occupied city. Local authorities later reported that Russian troops had confiscated some of the food packages from civilians.

UPDATE: A volunteer in Russian-occupied Oleshky was injured by a landmine while returning from a 20-kilometer trip to obtain food and animal feed amid severe shortages in the city.

Alla Lykhman-Malysh had described the route to the nearby village of Radensk as a “road of death,” saying residents risk mines, drones and cluster munitions while making the journey for supplies.

Lykhman-Malysh survived the explosion and is expected to be able to walk, according to a friend. Shrapnel was removed from her body.