Russia must be held accountable for deliberately causing humanitarian disaster in occupied Kherson region, - Sybiha. PHOTOS
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasised that the humanitarian disaster on the temporarily occupied left bank of the Kherson region was caused by the Russian Federation, and that it is the Russian Federation that must bear responsibility.
He wrote about this on his Facebook page, according to Censor.NET.
Russia is deliberately creating a humanitarian disaster
"What is happening in Oleshky and other occupied communities in the Kherson region cannot be portrayed as a humanitarian crisis that arose of its own accord. Russia has occupied these territories. Russia is blocking aid. Russia is hindering evacuations. And Russia must bear responsibility for the consequences of its actions," Sibiga emphasised.
Russia is deliberately creating a humanitarian disaster on the temporarily occupied left bank of the Kherson region. It is blocking the delivery of food and medicines, and hindering the work of humanitarian missions and the evacuation of civilians. People are effectively being deprived of a choice, and with it, any chance of survival.
The situation in Oleshky is particularly critical. Before the full-scale invasion, around 24,000 people lived in the town. Today, around 2,000 remain, including about 50 children. There is no electricity or gas supply. Over the past month, the delivery of food, medicines and other essential items has been completely blocked.
Chilling accounts are emerging from occupied Oleshky of how people are trying to survive under the blockade imposed by Russia: searching for scraps of food, gathering grass, as there is simply no other food available. A particular aspect of Russian terror is the targeting of civilians. Russian FPV drones are tracking and attacking people, turning even the attempt to leave one’s home or move around the town into a deadly risk.
The situation also remains critical in Hola Prystan, Stara Zburivka and Nova Zburivka. Russia is effectively keeping part of the occupied Kherson region under a humanitarian blockade.
He noted that it is important not to allow Russia to conceal the cause of this catastrophe behind the word ‘crisis’.
Ukraine is demanding an organised evacuation
According to the minister, Ukraine is insisting on an organised evacuation. The International Committee of the Red Cross is ready to assist, and international humanitarian organisations are ready to deliver aid. Only Russia remains an obstacle to this, having so far denied access to humanitarian missions and volunteers, as well as attacking volunteer vehicles.
Furthermore, Ukraine is systematically raising the issue of the humanitarian situation in the occupied Kherson region at international forums, in particular at the UN Security Council and the OSCE Permanent Council.
He also stated that the situation in the Kherson region will be one of the key themes of diplomatic efforts during the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly
"Our task is to mobilise the international pressure needed to establish a humanitarian corridor, deliver food and medicines, and evacuate civilians. Russia must be held accountable for deliberately creating a humanitarian catastrophe in the occupied Kherson region," stated the Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Humanitarian catastrophe in Oleshky
- At the end of March 2026, the Verkhovna Rada’s Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Russian side regarding the humanitarian disaster in the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region.
- It is known that around 2,000 civilians remain cut off from the outside world in occupied Oleshky.
- The Regional Military Administration also reported that the bodies of the deceased have remained unburied for weeks, and that logistics infrastructure has been completely destroyed – the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region is under a complete humanitarian blockade.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross is attempting to obtain information on the situation in the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region.
- Ombudsman Lubinets stated that the residents of Oleshky are being prepared for evacuation.
