Ukraine Lobbies UN Over Blockade of Oleshky

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha arrived in New York for the UN General Assembly session to advocate for humanitarian access to Oleshky, a city in the occupied Kherson region. Sybiha reported that Oleshky has been under a complete blockade for over six months, leaving more than 6,000 people, including nearly 200 children, facing hunger and cold. He intends to make the crisis a separate agenda item to pressure Russia into allowing evacuations and aid, noting that Russia has ignored previous negotiations regarding evacuation lists.

The Kremlin acknowledged a humanitarian crisis in Oleshky, citing critical shortages of food and medicine. While the Russian government stated that its military is working to resolve these issues, Sybiha accused Russian forces of actively blocking humanitarian aid.

Beyond the situation in Oleshky, Sybiha's UN agenda includes attending a Security Council session on Ukraine and participating in the sixth Crimea Platform summit. He plans to address the deportation and militarization of Ukrainian children, as well as energy security for the upcoming winter, grain exports, and the status of the Black Sea.