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UN: Russia denies humanitarian access to occupied parts of flooded Kherson Oblast

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UN: Russia denies humanitarian access to occupied parts of flooded Kherson Oblast
A photograph published by a local Telegram channel shows flooding in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, Kherson Oblast, after the Kakhovka dam explosion on June 6. (Khersonshchyna OleshkyKakhovka / Telegram)

The United Nations (UN) informed on June 18 that Russia continues to block humanitarian aid delivery to the occupied parts of flooded Kherson Oblast.

"The Government of the Russian Federation has so far declined our request to access the areas under its temporary military control. The UN will continue to engage to seek the necessary access," the organization's press release said.

The UN and Ukraine's government agreed earlier in June that the former will facilitate humanitarian aid and evacuation efforts on the left bank of the Dnipro River, which is under temporary occupation by Russian forces.

The Russian government must provide safe passage and security guarantees to UN staff before the mission can proceed.

The collapse of the Kakhovka dam on June 6 triggered a large-scale humanitarian and environmental disaster, including massive flooding in Kherson Oblast. Ukraine's military said that Russia destroyed the dam to hinder Kyiv's counteroffensive.

The Russian occupation authorities have been accused of blocking evacuations and not providing humanitarian aid to residents of the occupied territories. Safe transport is reportedly provided only to holders of a Russian passport.

Saving lives from Russia’s flood: Inside inundated, shelled Kherson
Since Russia’s full-scale war began, first came eight months of terror under occupation, then came seven months of intense shelling across the river, then came the river itself to Kherson. Over 24 hours after Russian forces destroyed the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant and its massive…
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Martin Fornusek

Senior News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

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