Brief
Resident walks 20 km through mined “road of death” to flee starving Oleshky
With electricity, heat and water gone, fewer than 2,000 people remain in Oleshky as winter approaches.
By Felo News Desk · Published
In August 2026, a 40‑year‑old former hairdresser fled the Russian‑occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky by walking roughly 20 km (12 mi) along a partially mined corridor that locals call the “road of death,” according to the Independent.
What happened
Oleshky, once home to nearly 24,000 residents, was seized by Russian forces on the first day of the 2022 invasion. Since then, the city has been cut off from electricity, heating and running water. Essential food and medical supplies have been virtually absent for months, and the population has dwindled to under 2,000. In June 2023, floodwaters from the breached Kakhovka Dam further devastated the area.
What the reports add
The Independent notes that the resident, who asked to remain anonymous for safety, described each step of the 20‑km trek as potentially fatal because of landmines and destroyed vehicles littering the route. She said, “every step could have been my last.” The article also cites statements from both sides: Russian officials claim Ukraine blocks supplies and evacuations, while Kyiv accuses Moscow of holding civilians hostage. President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted Oleshky’s plight on 12 October at an international forum in Poland, calling the city “razed to the ground.”
What was said
“There is nothing left in Oleshky,” the fleeing woman told the Associated Press, as reported by the Independent. “No food, no supplies, no medical care, no aid whatsoever.” Zelensky, speaking at the Poland forum, said Ukraine is trying to help its citizens but they remain under occupation and urged the city be unblocked. The Vatican’s statement, relayed by the Independent, said Pope Leo XIV urged a ceasefire to allow food and medicine deliveries to Oleshky during a phone call with President Vladimir Putin.
How it came about
Oleshky’s humanitarian collapse follows a series of attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, including the June 2023 Kakhovka Dam breach that flooded the region. Felo’s earlier coverage of the city’s winter hunger crisis documented the same lack of utilities and the exodus of residents, linking the current escape route to the broader pattern of civilian hardship under occupation.
Key facts
- Oleshky was captured by Russian forces on the first day of the 2022 invasion. (independent.co.uk)
- The city has been without electricity, heating and running water for months. (independent.co.uk)
- Fewer than 2,000 people remain in Oleshky as of October 2026. (independent.co.uk)
- A 40‑year‑old former hairdresser walked about 20 km along a partially mined route to flee. (independent.co.uk)
- President Zelensky described Oleshky as "razed to the ground" at a forum in Poland on 12 October. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Civilians in Russian-occupied city face starvation or ‘road of death’”
