A diplomat compared the situation in Oleshky to the Holodomor: Russians are confiscating food

Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in the United States, Denys Sienik, compared the plight of occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region to the Holodomor of 1932–1933. At a joint briefing by the embassies of Ukraine and Norway on the situation in the city, he said that Russian troops break into local residents’ homes and forcibly take their food. Most reports on the diplomat’s remarks. According to most.ks.ua.

In Sienik’s view, the forced seizure of food from civilians is reminiscent of the Soviet authorities’ practices under Joseph Stalin, when Ukrainians died en masse during the Holodomor. The diplomat stressed that Russia’s actions in the occupied territories should serve as a warning to the international community. He believes it could use similar methods beyond Ukraine as well.

Oleshky has been under Russian occupation since the start of the full-scale invasion. The city lies on the left bank of the Kherson region, near the front line, so its civilians are under constant threat from shelling and drone attacks.

In 2023, the city suffered severe flooding after the Russians blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant. The damaged infrastructure deprived residents of reliable access to utilities.

Humanitarian conditions in Oleshky worsened over the course of 2026. Electricity and gas supplies are unreliable, and access to food, medicine, and drinking water is difficult. Residents have repeatedly said they are living on the leftovers of their own supplies and vegetables from their gardens, while food is sold or bartered. At the same time, they are effectively not allowed to leave the occupied city.

Ukrainian troops attempted to deliver food and medicine to residents using large drones. The drones delivered about 4 tonnes of food to 100 designated locations. At the same time, Russian troops confiscated food delivered by Ukrainian Armed Forces drones from residents.

The Ukrainian side has also repeatedly tried to organize civilian evacuations and deliver humanitarian aid. However, the fighting and the actions of Russian troops make these efforts extremely difficult.

Athletes, cultural figures, and representatives of international institutions have drawn attention to the city’s critical situation:

• Ukrainian tennis player Oleksandra Oliynykova called for attention to be paid to Oleshky after defeating American Viviann Wolff in the first round of the WTA 500 tournament in Singapore.
• German designer and stylist Frank Peter Wilde posted a photograph on social media dedicated to temporarily occupied Oleshky.
• Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty said the humanitarian situation in the city had deteriorated sharply. According to him, civilians lack food, medicine, medical care, water, and electricity.

We also wrote:

• Food delivered to Beryslav by drone: getting into the city is almost impossible
• Hunger drives people from their homes, while roads are mined: Oleshky residents escape without an evacuation
• Grass instead of food: people are starving in occupied Oleshky
• More than three months without food deliveries: residents of occupied Oleshky survive on their supplies