Ukraine Warns of Russian Disinformation Over Oleshky Crisis

Ukraine has warned of an upcoming Russian disinformation campaign over the humanitarian crisis at southern Ukraine’s Oleshky.Oleshky is a city under Russian occupation just across the river from Kyiv-controlled Kherson. The city has been facing a humanitarian crisis, with no supplies coming in and locals prevented from leaving, while Kyiv accuses Moscow of using residents as human shields.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on Wednesday said it obtained intelligence that Russian troops received orders to prepare propaganda materials with Oleshky locals to portray Moscow in a positive light and “accuse the Ukrainian Defense Forces of constant shelling and blockade of the city.”The SBU said the disinformation campaign is slated for October to early November 2026 and cautioned against trusting unverified information.“According to operational information, servicemen of one of the occupiers’ units received an order to prepare a series of ‘compromising’ interviews with the residents of the temporarily captured city,” the agency wrote in its press release.“In these videos, according to the enemy’s plan, local residents must: accuse the Ukrainian Defense Forces of constant shelling and blockade of the city; discredit the decisions of the military-political leadership of our state; express a positive attitude and gratitude to the military of the aggressor country,” it added. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Signs Survivor-Centered Guidelines for Investigating Wartime Sexual Violence Signed in the presence of the British ambassador, the instruction aligns Ukraine’s police, investigations and prosecutors with EU standards for protecting victims. The SBU’s latest warning echoed those shared by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha a week prior.“According to our intelligence, Russia is preparing to stage dozens of videos in occupied Oleshky, forcing local residents to say on camera that they are happy, well-fed, and grateful to the Russian occupiers,” Sybiha wrote on X, calling it another example of what he described as Russian cynicism.According to earlier reports, around 2,000 residents, including nearly 50 children, are facing dire conditions in the town, with limited access to food, drinking water and electricity, while Russian forces block attempts to leave.Additionally, Russian forces have attempted to intercept the supply drones and, according to Ukrainian officials, have stolen or resold food intended for children and elderly residents.Ukrainian authorities also accuse Russian forces of detaining and abusing civilians who accept humanitarian aid, including holding them in basements and subjecting them to physical violence.In mid-September, Russian authorities failed to honor previously agreed arrangements for a humanitarian mission to evacuate civilians from occupied Oleshky.The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was prepared to participate within its mandate, while Ukrainian security and defense forces had arranged a ceasefire for the proposed operation.Some residents have reportedly attempted to flee independently through mined areas, despite the risk of artillery shelling and near-daily drone attacks. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.