The radio that helped save lives: a story from Oleshky

“We were living in an information vacuum. The radio gave us a general picture of what was happening and reassured us that people still remembered us,” says Serhii, a resident of the temporarily occupied city of Oleshky in Kherson region.

Under occupation, access to information was extremely limited. Phone and internet connections were restricted, there was no electricity, and radio was one of the few remaining sources of news. It was through Ukrainian radio that Serhii’s family learned about the upcoming humanitarian mission and the possibility of leaving the occupied territory. The news was later shared with other residents of Oleshky.