The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) calls on Canada and the international community to demand that Russia allow humanitarian access to Ukrainian civilians in Russian-occupied Oleshky.
Oleshky, in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson, has been under a complete Russian blockade for six months. 2,000 people – including 50 children – remain in the city of 24,000 that Russia destroyed. Russia is refusing to allow evacuation or to allow humanitarian aid or food in.
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that from Russian-occupied Oleshky, “there are horrifying testimonies of how people are trying to survive in the conditions created by Russia: they are searching for food scraps, collecting grass, because there is simply no other food. A separate dimension of Russian terror is the hunt for civilians. Russian FPV-drones are chasing and attacking people, turning even the attempt to leave the house or move around the city into a deadly risk.”
Russia is purposely murdering Ukrainian civilians. International organizations are ready to deliver food, medicine, aid and evacuation. Russia has refused all appeals. Russia’s blockade of Oleshky is part of Russia’s genocide against the Ukrainian people. The UCC calls on Canada and the international community to respond forcefully to the dreadful crime Russia is committing in Oleshky.
