Humanitarian catastrophe: water is running out in Oleshky, and people are dying every day

The Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross calling on the Russian side “ceasefire” July 3, 2026. It is necessary for the humanitarian evacuation of civilians from the temporarily occupied Oleshky and other settlements of the Kherson region. The ombudsman said this during a press conference July 1, 2026, Ukrinform reports.

The proposed ceasefire period is to last from 09:00 to 18:00. During these 9 hours it is planned to ensure the safe departure of the civilian population, which has been effectively blocked for a long time in territory occupied by Russian forces.

Dmytro Lubinets recalled that as early as March 2026 he appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to organize a humanitarian corridor and the evacuation of civilians, including children. However, people have still not been evacuated. According to the ombudsman, about 6,000 adults and approximately 200 children remain in the region.

The situation in the occupied settlements is approaching a humanitarian catastrophe. Local residents lack food, medicine and drinking water, and due to hostilities and Russian attacks civilians risk being killed every day. Dmytro Lubinets urged the international community not to be limited to statements but to increase pressure on the Russian Federation to achieve a real evacuation of people.

Describing the possible consequences of further delay, Dmytro Lubinets emphasized that stocks of the most essential supplies in the occupied settlements are practically exhausted:

“If this is not done, in my view the situation will become not simply catastrophic. Civilians are dying there every day, there is no food or medicine, drinking water has practically run out. We ask that the whole world learn about this situation and increase pressure on the Russian Federation. We have done everything possible to save our civilian citizens”, – he said.

Earlier, Ukrainian forces attempted to deliver food and medicine to residents of the temporarily occupied Oleshky using large drones. However, targeted humanitarian shipments do not solve the main problem: thousands of people, including children and people with reduced mobility, need an organized and safe evacuation.

Earlier we wrote:

• In basements without food or water: 6,000 Ukrainians await rescue near Oleshky and in the city itself
• People trapped without water, food and medicine: the Foreign Ministry sounds the alarm over the humanitarian situation in occupied Kherson region
• Oleshky – the ghost town of the Russian occupation: water shortages and deadly roads
• Occupied Oleshky on the brink: water shortages, drivers are dying; Lubinets demands a corridor from the RF and action from the ICRC