Ukrainian Church Council Appeals for Humanitarian Aid in Oleshky

The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) has issued an urgent appeal to international religious leaders, including the Pope and the World Evangelical Alliance, regarding a humanitarian crisis in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. The council reports that the city has been without food deliveries since May 2026, leaving thousands of residents at risk of starvation while facing ongoing shelling and a lack of basic utilities like electricity and gas.

UCCRO alleges that Russian forces are preventing civilians from evacuating and are manipulating the situation for propaganda. Conversely, Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the critical conditions but attributed the lack of supplies to Ukrainian drone attacks. Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm of the World Council of Churches stated that there is no justification for restricting aid or movement, noting that reports from international media and human rights groups corroborate the claim that no food has reached the area for several months. The council continues to call for international intervention to prevent further loss of life.