Humanitarian Crisis Worsens in Kherson Region
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has officially raised alarm over a severe humanitarian emergency unfolding in several occupied communities of the Kherson region, specifically Oleshky, Hola Prystan, Stara Zburivka, and Nova Zburivka. Russian occupying forces are blocking civilian evacuations and preventing the delivery of food, medicine, and essential supplies, while residents face targeted drone attacks. The population in these areas has plummeted from 40,000 to roughly 6,000 people.
In Oleshky alone, the number of inhabitants has dropped from 24,000 to about 2,000. Critical infrastructure has been destroyed, leaving the area without electricity or gas. Among those still stranded are approximately 200 children living under extremely harsh conditions. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has received over 220 formal requests for evacuation assistance from local residents.
International Push for Humanitarian Relief
In response, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, working with the Coordination Headquarters, has initiated consultations with the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The issue is set to be raised at UN and OSCE platforms, and evidence of crimes will be submitted to international monitoring missions. The situation began deteriorating sharply in late December 2025, with roads around Oleshky heavily mined, severely complicating any evacuation efforts.
Ukraine’s Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has also appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and directly to Russia to take action to improve the humanitarian conditions.
“For Ukraine, nothing matters more than human lives. We call on the international community to take concrete and urgent steps to save our citizens in the temporarily occupied Kherson region,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated.
This crisis highlights the dire humanitarian challenges facing residents of occupied territories and underscores the urgent need for international intervention to improve civilian living conditions. With a high volume of evacuation requests piling up, the situation grows increasingly critical—without swift global action, many may be left without the basic resources needed to survive.
The dire situation in the Kherson region is further exacerbated by alarming reports of starvation in occupied Oleshky. As humanitarian efforts face significant challenges, the Red Cross has raised concerns about the deteriorating conditions for residents. For more insights into this unfolding crisis and its impact on civilians, see how the Red Cross is addressing the issue of hunger in the area.