Inside the city where people eat grass to live
Trapped residents in a Russian-occupied Ukrainian city are being forced to eat grass, weeds and even catch sparrows to survive as Vladimir Putin’s forces weaponise starvation and turn their home into an open-air prison. Disturbing aerial footage has offered a rare, chilling peek into the besieged city of Oleshky, found on the east bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region. Seized by Moscow’s forces on the first day of the full-scale invasion in 2022, the once-vibrant city of 24,000 has seen its population plummet to fewer than 2,000 desperate souls who are completely cut off from the outside world.
TL;DR
- Oleshky, a Russian-occupied Ukrainian city, is experiencing severe starvation, with residents eating grass, weeds, and sparrows.
- The city has been cut off from electricity, running water, and gas since the Kakhovka Dam's destruction in June 2023.
- Russian forces have blocked all road deliveries since late May, intensifying the humanitarian crisis.
- Escape attempts are extremely dangerous, with civilians facing mined roads, drone strikes, and detention by occupying troops.
- Russia is accused of weaponizing starvation and using the remaining population as a human shield.
- Ukrainian soldiers are conducting night-time aid drops using heavy-lift drones, but this is a temporary measure.
- International condemnation has been voiced, with calls for Russia to ensure civilian protection and meet its obligations.