In occupied Oleshky in southern Ukraine, people have nothing to eat — they're surviving on weeds

Residents of the Ukrainian city of Oleshky, occupied by Russian forces, have been forced to eat weeds from their own gardens after occupation authorities cut off food and drinking water supplies, and the vegetables grown over the summer have long since run out. The BBC reported this, citing testimony from local residents.

"The last food delivery came in May. The town has completely run out of supplies," said one resident, Halia. She said she now eats only once a day, in the evening — baking bread that she sometimes tops with a tomato, and other times with honey and tea.

Children suffering from malnutrition

According to the BBC, children still living in the Oleshky area are suffering from malnutrition and a lack of medical care, with their condition worsening as they have no access to education. Residents also face constant danger from minefields and nightly attacks by Russian kamikaze drones targeting Kherson.

Several local residents told the BBC, independently of one another, that only one partially functioning hospital remains in the area. It's open just a few days a week and performs only essential amputations, since local doctors — according to the Kyiv Independent — lack the medical supplies needed to treat wounds from drone strikes or anti-personnel mine explosions.

Ukrainian authorities unable to deliver aid

Ukrainian authorities have tried to address the food shortage, but in recent months they have been unable to establish reliable deliveries to the city, which is surrounded by Russian army positions to the southeast and bordered by the Dnipro River to the north.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz