Key facts
- Ukrainian forces delivered nearly four metric tons of humanitarian aid by drone to Russian-occupied Oleshky on Oct. 4.
- The aid included food, medical supplies, and kits for children.
- This was the second large-scale drone delivery to Oleshky, where residents face severe shortages.
- Ukrainian forces struck Russian military targets in occupied Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts.
- Forty-one civilians, including children, were returned from occupied territories through a Volyn border crossing in August and September.
- Over 50 countries and organizations signed a pledge on Sept. 29 calling for the return of abducted Ukrainian children.
Ukrainian forces conducted a second large-scale drone operation on Oct. 4, delivering nearly four metric tons of humanitarian aid to the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in Kherson Oblast. The aid, including food, medical supplies, and kits for children, successfully reached residents facing severe shortages and impossible evacuation conditions due to mines, drone attacks, and Russian troop presence.
The operation involved multiple units, including the National Guard's 11th Mykhailo Hrushevskyi Brigade and 34th Kherson Regiment, alongside the 30th Marine Corps, the 34th Borysfen Marine Brigade, and the State Border Guard Service's 79th Detachment. A drone crew from the Perun unit also evacuated six animals from the occupied territory.
This delivery follows a similar operation in late September. However, Russian forces have reportedly confiscated some of the delivered food, and residents found with non-Russian products have been questioned over potential cooperation with Ukrainian forces. Approximately 2,000 people, including nearly 50 children, remain in Oleshky with limited access to basic services, prompting international concern.
In other developments, Ukrainian forces struck Russian military targets in occupied Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4. These strikes targeted an air defense system, a drone storage site, and telecommunications hubs. Additionally, 41 Ukrainian civilians, including children, were returned from occupied territories through a Volyn border crossing in August and September. Over 50 countries and organizations have signed a pledge calling for the return of abducted Ukrainian children, and the UK sanctioned seven Russian individuals involved in the forced deportation and re-education of these children.