Pope Leo XIV called for a ceasefire around Russian-occupied Oleshky to let food and medical aid reach civilians and allow safe departures, as the United Nations reported about 2,000 people trapped.
The Holy See said the appeal came in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 16. Leo sought a pause in fighting that would permit food and medical assistance to enter Oleshky and allow civilians to leave by choice under safe conditions. The statement did not say how Putin responded.
At a Security Council briefing on Oct. 9, U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari said about 2,000 people, including 35 children, reportedly remained in Oleshky without access to food or medical supplies. He described drones and landmines as hazards on routes out and said organized departures could not be made safely. Khiari urged a local pause in fighting to let civilians leave and supplies reach the city, describing a ceasefire as urgently needed.
The U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said the last food delivery it recorded in Oleshky arrived May 26; by June 24, no later shipment had reached the city. In its June update, the mission also reported that a convoy carrying food and aid hit a landmine at the city entrance on June 2. One man died and three people were injured, HRMMU said.
The mission said volunteers had helped about 180 people leave frontline communities in recent months, as of June 25. HRMMU described its largest single evacuation from Oleshky as 32 people leaving during a three-day easing in hostilities from May 9 to 11. Mission head Danielle Bell said, "People can’t get out, food can’t get in, and sick and injured are not getting the medical assistance they need."
HRMMU said international law obliges an occupying power to provide food and medical supplies and facilitate humanitarian relief when needed. The mission also said it could not conclusively determine responsibility for individual drone attacks.
