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Pope Leo XIV holds phone call with Putin: they discuss situation in Oleshky
On October 16, Pope Leo XIV held a telephone conversation with Russian dictator Putin. One of the topics was the humanitarian situation in occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region.
The Holy See's press office reported this, according to Censor.NET.
Details of the conversation
The Pope expressed "deep concern" about the situation in Oleshky and called for a ceasefire to allow food and medical aid to be delivered there.
He also said a pause in hostilities should allow the voluntary and safe evacuation of civilians.
At the end of the conversation, Leo XIV said the Holy See remained ready to facilitate dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine.
Humanitarian Crisis in Oleshky
- In late March 2026, Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada’s Commissioner for Human Rights, appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Russian side regarding the humanitarian catastrophe in the occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region.
- It is known that about 2,000 civilians remain cut off from the outside world in the occupied town of Oleshky.
- The Regional Military Administration also reported that the bodies of the deceased have remained unburied for weeks, and that the logistics infrastructure has been completely destroyed—the occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region is under a complete humanitarian blockade.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross is trying to obtain information about the situation in the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region.
- Ombudsman Lubinets stated that residents of Oleshky are being prepared for evacuation.
- Earlier, Tetiana Hasanenko, head of the Oleshky City Military Administration, reported that in the occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region, people are starving due to a lack of supplies, and some families have already begun eating dogs.
- In late September 2026, drones were used to deliver approximately 4,000 kg of food to 100 locations throughout the city.
- According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia is producing staged videos in Oleshky. Locals will be forced to say on camera that they are happy, well-fed, and grateful to the Russian occupiers.
