Russia confiscates Ukrainian drone-delivered food in occupied Oleshky, residents say
The head of the Oleshky City Military Administration, Tetiana Hasanenko, told Ukrinform that Russian military personnel are seizing food parcels that the Ukrainian Armed Forces dropped by drone to residents of occupied Oleshky, Kherson Oblast. Russian soldiers have interrogated recipients about the origin of the food and accused them of cooperating with the Ukrainian military. The incident took place amid what Ukrainian officials describe as a humanitarian catastrophe in the city, where more than 6,000 people, including about 200 children, are estimated to remain.
Key points
- Ukrainian forces delivered about 4 tonnes of food products by drone to occupied Oleshky in one of the largest such operations to date.
- Head of the Oleshky MVA Tetiana Hasanenko said Russian military confiscated those food parcels from local residents.
- Russian soldiers interrogated residents about the origin of the food and accused recipients of cooperating with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- Kherson OVA head Oleksandr Prokudin said the delivery reached 100 different locations in occupied Oleshky.
- More than 6,000 people, including about 200 children, may remain in Oleshky and the surrounding area near the front line.
- People continue to disappear in the Oleshky community, with one family vanishing after being taken 'to the basement,' according to Hasanenko.
- The last official food delivery to Oleshky was on 26 May (the year is disputed across sources).
Why it matters
The reported confiscation of aid by an occupying force and the intimidation of civilians who receive it illustrates the humanitarian cost of the Russian blockade of Oleshky. At the same time, the use of drones to bypass a ground blockade shows how Ukrainian forces and the city military administration have adapted to reach civilians cut off from conventional supply lines.
What happened
The Ukrainian Armed Forces used drones to deliver about 4 tonnes of food products to occupied Oleshky, Kherson Oblast, in what Kherson OVA head Oleksandr Prokudin described as a delivery reaching 100 different locations and what Hasanenko called the largest such drone operation to date. Tetiana Hasanenko, head of the Oleshky City Military Administration, told Ukrinform that Russian military personnel confiscated those food parcels from local residents. Russian soldiers questioned recipients about the origin of the food, asking where it came from if it was not Russian-produced, and accused those who received it of collaborating with the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Hasanenko also said people continue to disappear in the Oleshky community through abduction by Russian forces, including one family taken 'to the basement' whose fate is unknown.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian sources frame the episode as a humanitarian crisis caused by a Russian blockade, with the drone delivery presented as a Ukrainian effort to feed civilians under occupation. Russian conduct — confiscating aid, interrogating recipients, and continuing abductions — is highlighted as misconduct against the population. Ukrainian officials, religious organizations and the foreign ministry have called on international actors, including the UN, the ICRC and the Pope, to press for access and evacuation.
Where reporting differs
Sources disagree on the year of the last official food delivery to Oleshky before the recent drone drops: one article dates it to 26 May 2026, while other articles do not specify a year or imply the current year, leaving the date's accuracy unclear.
Background
Oleshky in Kherson Oblast has been under a humanitarian blockade and is described as on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe, with more than 6,000 people, including about 200 children, estimated to remain in the city and surrounding area near the front line. Ukrainian forces had previously dropped food by drone to Oleshky, but the recent delivery of about 4 tonnes was described as the largest to date. On 16 September, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said Russia had not confirmed readiness to conduct a humanitarian evacuation mission. On 19 September, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations stated that Oleshky is on the brink of humanitarian catastrophe and called on the Pope, the UN, and the ICRC to help evacuate residents. On 20 September, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine is bringing the situation in Oleshky and other occupied communities of Kherson Oblast to the UN General Assembly, and on 26 September he called on international organizations to mobilize resources for aid delivery.