Bishop Stanislav Šyrokoradjuk describes Oleshky humanitarian crisis

Bishop Stanislav Šyrokoradjuk of the Diocese of Odessa says approximately 2,000 people in the occupied city of Oleshky are facing a humanitarian catastrophe. The bishop reported that the population is suffering from hunger and lacks electricity, running water, and heating.

Šyrokoradjuk stated that his information comes from a local priest and members of the Catholic community in Oleshky. He noted that the city has been isolated for months and compared the current suffering to the Holodomor.

The crisis prompted Pope Leo XIV to discuss the situation during recent telephone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This follows an appeal made by various churches in September requesting international intervention to assist the city.