Ukraine uses drones to make airdrops of aid to occupied city of Oleshky on brink of starvation
Boxes of food dropped at 100 locations in war-torn city using several waves of drones
Ukrainian officials say they dropped four tonnes of food at 100 different locations in the Russian-occupied community of Oleshky, where there are fears that food has become so scarce that residents are resorting to foraging for weeds.
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residents → use → weeds
The operation, which involved several Ukrainian military units, was carried out in waves, with drones dropping boxes filled with food and cooking oil throughout the community, according to regional authorities.
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which → involve → authorities
Oleshky lies just three kilometres south of the Dnipro River, which forms the front line between Ukrainian forces — who control the city of Kherson and surrounding areas — and Russian forces occupying Ukrainian communities on the left bank of the river.
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who → lie → river
Before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Oleshky had a population of about 20,000.
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Oleshky → launch → 20,000
Today, Ukrainian officials estimate that about 6,000 people remain in the city and surrounding area, including approximately 200 children.
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people → estimate → children
"This [aid] will give people the opportunity to live there for up to a month," Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, deputy head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, said in an interview with CBC News.
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Tolokonnikov → give → News
But he warned that the solution could be short-lived.
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solution → warn → ?
Residents under 'full blockade' by Russian troops
Tolokonnikov said video from drones, which were launched on Saturday, confirmed that some residents had received the food, but Russian troops forcibly seized supplies from civilians in some cases, he said.
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he → say → cases
The Ukrainian military has carried out several other aid drops since April, but they were on a much smaller scale, he said.
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he → carry → scale
In recent days, Ukrainian officials have warned that many residents of Oleshky are on the brink of starvation.
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residents → warn → starvation
Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha said residents were under a "full blockade" by Russian forces, which he said were refusing to allow humanitarian aid into the city.
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he → say → city
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Sybiha called on the international community to pressure Russia to allow humanitarian assistance into the city and open an evacuation corridor for residents who want to leave.
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who → speak → residents
Russia, which seized Oleshky on the first day of its full-scale invasion more than four and a half years ago, has acknowledged that the city is facing critical shortages of food and medicine, but the Kremlin has said Russian forces are working to address the problems.
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forces → seize → problems
Oleshky has no functioning stores, and the nearest place where residents can obtain supplies is about 20 kilometres away, in the rural community of Radensk.
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residents → have → Radensk
Bartering for food
Ukrainian officials say travelling out of Oleshky is extremely dangerous, and they've accused Russia of laying landmines around the area.
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they → barter → area
It is difficult to independently verify reports from inside the community as people living under Russian occupation fear reprisals for speaking publicly, and mobile connections can be unreliable.
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connections → verify → reprisals
CBC News has not been able to connect with any residents still inside the city but spoke by phone with a woman whose 70-year-old mother-in-law managed to leave Oleshky on Tuesday after walking for six hours.
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mother → connect → hours
"Over the last six months, their circumstances had deteriorated significantly," the woman said.
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woman → deteriorate → months
"People have been constantly searching for food.
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People → search → food
What they could obtain was sometimes just two potatoes and two pieces of garlic."
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obtain → obtain → garlic
The woman, who last spoke with her mother-in-law in early September, did not want her name published because the 70-year-old still lives in territory occupied by Russia.
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old → speak → Russia
She said she was told people have been bartering with their neighbours for supplies, exchanging things such as vegetables for eggs.
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people → say → eggs
Tetiana Hasanenko, the Ukrainian head of the Oleshky military administration who is working in exile, shared messages with CBC News that could not be independently verified that she received from local residents.
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she → work → residents
In one message, a resident described how some people have resorted to finding plants to eat.
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people → describe → plants
"[People] are exchanging information about how to cook, basically, grass and weeds that grow in the gardens.
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that → exchange → gardens
Because there are no basic food products,” Hasanenko said in an interview via Zoom from the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv.
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Hasanenko → be → Mykolaiv
She said the area is constantly being shelled and that residents are losing limbs — and, in some cases, dying without adequate access to medical care.
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residents → say → care
Ukrainian officials said the aid drop carried out on Saturday had been planned for several weeks.
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drop → say → weeks
Before the drones carrying the boxes of food were launched, officials said Ukrainian forces tried to clear the neighbourhoods of Russian positions and drones.
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forces → carry → positions
Tolokonnikov, of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, said the Ukrainian military had carried out several other aid drops since April, but they were on a much smaller scale.
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they → say → scale
The plight of Oleshky's population has been garnering attention in Ukraine but less so internationally.
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plight → garner → Ukraine
In recent days, Ukrainians have been urging the international community to take notice by posting on social media and, in some cases, holding signs at sporting events.
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Ukrainians → urge → events
Cory Woods, a Canadian who previously worked in humanitarian efforts in Ukraine before becoming a drone-interceptor pilot, said he has been disappointed that the situation has not received more attention globally.
"There's a lot going on with talk of negotiations and peace negotiations for the war at large.
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situation → work → war
All of that needs to be put on hold, and our focus needs to be on Oleshky and helping these people," he said.
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he → need → people
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