Russians seize food supplies dropped to Oleshky residents by Ukrainian military
Tetiana Hasanenko, Head of Oleshky City Military Administration, has stated that Russian occupiers are confiscating food parcels dropped using drones by the Ukrainian military for local residents in Oleshky.
Source: Hasanenko in a comment to Ukrinform
Quote: "This is not the first time the Ukrainian military has dropped food to people in the community using drones, but the most recent operation was the largest aid delivery yet – four tonnes.
Naturally, some received one parcel, some got several, and others received nothing at all.
Regarding whether the Russians are taking these food products away from people – yes, they are.
Furthermore, if the items are not produced in Russia, they immediately ask residents: 'Where did you get this?' They tell them: 'If the Ukrainian Armed Forces are dropping food to you, it means you are collaborating with them.' Meanwhile, the occupiers consider the city to be Russian territory and regard the local residents as Russian citizens who are violating Russian law by cooperating with Ukraine."
Details: According to Hasanenko, residents in the community continue to disappear as a result of abductions by the Russian forces: "People are being taken away; an entire family has disappeared without a trace. We do not know where they are – they were taken to a basement [a torture chamber] and that is all. Whether they are alive or not is unknown."
Background:
- On 19 September, the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations reported a critical humanitarian situation in occupied Oleshky.
- Hasanenko said that food was last officially delivered to Oleshky on 26 May and that there are now cases of families eating dogs. Over 6,000 people, including roughly 200 children, might still remain in Oleshky and the surrounding district.
- Ukrainian forces carried out one of their largest humanitarian aid delivery operations to Oleshky in Kherson Oblast, using drones to transport nearly 4,000 kg of food.
- At the end of March, Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, noted that Oleshky "is not living, but merely surviving".
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