‘Hell on earth’: Starvation and fear grip occupied Oleshky as civilians flee

KYIV — The southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky, under Russian control since 2022, has descended into what officials and humanitarian workers describe as “hell on earth.” Thousands of remaining residents are confronting starvation, while hundreds more are attempting to escape through mine-strewn war zones littered with bodies.

Located on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, Oleshky sits directly across from Ukrainian-held territory, forming part of the active frontline in southern Ukraine following Kyiv’s liberation of Kherson in the fall of 2022. Recently, Ukrainian authorities and aid groups have intensified efforts to highlight the deteriorating conditions on the river’s left bank, where fighting continues just miles away.

Tetiana Hasanenko, who heads the Oleshky Military Administration from the Ukrainian-controlled side, reported that the prewar population of approximately 40,000 has plummeted to an estimated 6,000, with only about 2,000 still living in the city itself. She stated that those trapped face rapidly worsening conditions and an occupation authority showing little interest in providing relief.

“We are not talking about them surviving the winter,” Hasanenko said, noting that residents are rationing scarce food and lack basic medications. Messages from locals describe fleeing between abandoned houses to evade drones and Russian troops.

“The blockade is complete,” one resident wrote. “Endless drones, fires. Like a horror movie.”

The crisis escalated in early September after a food convoy was attacked. While Russian officials blamed Kyiv, Ukrainian volunteers disputed that claim. Kseniia Arkhipova, a volunteer coordinating evacuations, said vehicles were bombed and then shot at by drones targeting the engines, forcing drivers to walk 100 kilometers on foot.

Arkhipova explained that the collapse of food supplies triggered a new wave of departures. “Because there is simply nothing to eat. While there was something to eat, people just stayed in their homes,” she said.

Evacuees must traverse a route Arkhipova called the “road of death,” stretching 14 miles east to the village of Radensk. The area is heavily mined and patrolled by drones. From Radensk, fleeing residents may secure transportation further into occupied Kherson or toward the Black Sea coast, often paying exorbitant fees—up to $500 per person—to clandestinely reach Ukrainian territory, sometimes via Belarus.

The journey is fraught with peril. Many have lost identity documents during the conflict or the 2023 Kakhovka dam flooding. At Russian checkpoints, evacuees face interrogation and detention. Arkhipova recounted being told by officials that a woman without a passport was suspected of being a spy.

Ukrainian military officials describe a chaotic environment behind Russian lines. Pavlo Drogal, spokesperson for the 30th Marine Corps, noted that Russian troops frequently wear civilian clothing and hide military assets among residential areas to avoid drone strikes. He denied that Ukrainian forces mine civilian routes or target non-combatants.

“The enemy conducts mining there,” Drogal said. “We do not attack our own people.”

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to address the crisis have intensified. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha raised the issue at the United Nations General Assembly, warning of a “humanitarian catastrophe” and accusing Moscow of deliberately starving the population. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the dire situation but alleged that Ukrainian forces are blocking aid deliveries.

Hasanenko and other officials emphasize that the hospital in Oleshky is on its last legs, lacking fuel and medicine. With over 100 unburied bodies reported in the hospital basement due to a four-year electricity outage, the humanitarian outlook remains grim. Arkhipova stated that around 300 people are currently waiting to evacuate, but she expressed pessimism about immediate breakthroughs in resolving the crisis.