Ukrainian troops have delivered more than four tonnes of humanitarian aid to residents of Oleshky who remain trapped in the city by Russian forces.
Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, Deputy Head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, spoke about this in an interview with Ukrainian Radio.
"Yes, there was another operation by Ukrainian troops after that, during which they delivered the largest amount of food so far — almost two tonnes. The total amount delivered to people now exceeds four tonnes. These are essential medicines and food supplies," he said.
He was responding to a question about whether Ukraine's Defence Forces had carried out further drone operations to deliver food and medicine to residents of the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky since 4 October.
According to Tolokonnikov, there have been reports of some residents losing as much as 50 kilograms in weight because of a lack of protein-rich food.
"People are mostly surviving on plant-based food — whatever they have grown in their gardens or managed to exchange for something else. There have also been successful cases of people travelling to neighbouring settlements to obtain food. But there is another problem: even when they get there, they cannot buy anything because they have run out of money. And they cannot withdraw any money either. Those who remain — people with limited mobility and pensioners who cannot leave or even attempt to do so — have no money. So, of course, they can only rely on us or on whatever they manage to grow themselves. Meanwhile, the occupying forces keep telling stories about how they supposedly tried to deliver something, but drones allegedly prevented them from doing so again. According to their claims, these were probably our drones. Yet, strangely enough, nothing prevents them from bringing in weapons. They constantly deliver drones and weapons, but for some reason they cannot deliver food because something always gets in their way. These are the kinds of stories the Russian occupying forces keep telling," the regional administration representative added.
He assured that further deliveries would be attempted in the near future.
"But, of course, this is dangerous, first and foremost for our drone operators, because the Russians are actively hunting them, and there have been cases when they were attacked. Nevertheless, in most cases, thank God, the food still reaches people in Oleshky," Tolokonnikov said.
He explained that Russian forces are keeping Oleshky virtually blockaded because the city provides one of the best and easiest positions from which to shell Kherson while using residential buildings as cover.
"And to prevent Ukraine's Defence Forces from striking those residential areas, there have to be people there — our people, whom we will not attack," the deputy head of the regional administration said.
He confirmed that residents had attempted to escape from Oleshky.
"Yes, of course, there have been attempts. But we must remember that crossing minefields and walking along roads where the bodies of people who tried to escape but never made it are lying is an extremely difficult ordeal even for a healthy person. Considering that most of those who remain are elderly people or people with limited mobility, walking 20 kilometres to Radensk is an enormous challenge for them," Tolokonnikov explained.
He added that reports were currently circulating that another 13 people had allegedly escaped from Oleshky or been evacuated from Radensk and were now on their way to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
"We will see in the coming days when they arrive and what they have to tell us. But the situation is such that, sooner or later, some people will inevitably remain there. And this benefits the Russians, because we will not shell civilians, even if only 100 people remain. They do not appear to be holding anyone there by force, but they mine the surrounding territory, and elderly people cannot escape on foot. So they stay there and wait for help," he stressed.
The regional administration representative emphasised that approximately 30 children remain trapped in the city.
"Previously, there were reports of 2,000 people remaining there, including around 50 children. That number has now fallen to approximately 30 children. However, it is very difficult to confirm anything officially, as we rely solely on information from verified sources who are still in the occupied territory," he said.
