Ukrainian forces deliver about 4 tons of food by drone to occupied Oleshky

Ukrainian forces have delivered about four tons of food for the residents of the occupied frontline city of Oleshky in the Kherson region, distributing supplies to 100 locations across the city with the help of drones — the head of the Kherson region’s Military Administration, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin, said on Saturday, according to The Kyiv Independent. The operation was carried out in cooperation with several Ukrainian military and law enforcement units.

Residents have reported that the city is running critically short of food, while only a few of them have managed to evacuate. Food deliveries by drone to Oleshky have been ongoing since March 2026. A resident who left Oleshky in April told The Kyiv Independent that drones had previously dropped packages: “The packages contained some medicine and food. I don’t know whose drones they were, but I think it was Ukraine that dropped them for us.”

Prokudin said Russian forces have attempted to disrupt the deliveries, including shooting down food-carrying drones, and accused Russian forces of confiscating or reselling humanitarian aid and stopping residents who receive assistance: “The occupiers are detaining Oleshky residents for receiving humanitarian aid packages, throwing them ‘in the basement’, brutally beating them.”

Volunteers who once organized evacuations have raised concerns in local Telegram groups that these deliveries could bring inspections by the Russian side — “a nightmare for the people”. The last successful food delivery by vehicle was on May 26; attempts on June 2 and September 1 were disrupted by Russian drone attacks that killed two people.

Oleshky lies on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, less than 4 km from the regional center of Kherson, and has been under Russian occupation since February 24, 2022; its population has fallen from around 24,000 to about 2,000 (spring 2026, according to the Foreign Ministry). Russian forces prevent Ukraine and international humanitarian organizations from entering occupied territories to deliver aid. On September 25, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, raised concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Oleshky — civilians, including children, are struggling for enough food, medicine, medical care, clean water and electricity, with a warning that some may face serious risk to their lives.