Evacuated residents describe starvation and mined roads in Russian-occupied Olechky

Evacuated residents of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Olechky have described severe conditions, including starvation, mined roads, and bodies left on the streets, after arriving in Ukrainian-held territory on Saturday. The situation deteriorated sharply this year with intense bombing and mines planted on routes, forcing shops to close and leaving residents without food for nearly a year. Some risked their lives traveling mined roads to reach Radensk, where prices were exorbitant, while others survived on shared garden produce. An estimated 2,000 of the pre-war population of 24,000 remained in Olechky before the recent evacuation, with some choosing to stay despite the threat of renewed fighting.