Occupied Oleshky and Ukrainian-Controlled Kherson Remain Separated by Dnipro River

Residents of the small town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine have lived under Russian military occupation since February 2022. The town sits across the Dnipro River from Kherson, which remains under Ukrainian control. A couple aged 67 and 70 left Oleshky on April 7 after months without water, gas, or electricity.

They traveled through partially occupied regions, entered Russia, crossed Belarus, and reached Kherson via the only open crossing point between Belarus and Ukraine.

Oleshky has been reduced to tending vegetable patches and preserving food amid frequent shelling. Russian drones regularly fly over the area. The couple described the moment they entered a shop in Kherson after their arrival. They said they did not know what to choose because of the abundance of goods.

Before the full-scale invasion, travel between Oleshky and Kherson took about 15 minutes via the Antonivka Bridge. The bridge is now unusable, and the river serves as the frontline. Only 10 kilometers separate the two towns, yet residents must make lengthy detours to cross between them. The couple stated they did not know if they would return alive when they left their house in Oleshky.