Ukraine war: UN and Red Cross invited to investigate deaths of prisoners of war, Russia says | World News
Russia has invited the United Nations and the Red Cross to investigate the deaths of dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
Prisoners were being held by Moscow-backed separatists at a prison in the town of Olenivka, east of Donetsk, when it was hit by rockets early Friday.
The Russian Defense Ministry said 50 prisoners were killed and 73 others injured, adding that it wanted to act “in the interest of conducting an objective investigation” into the attack.
It claimed Ukrainian soldiers used a US-made high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) to target the prison.
Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said “all political, criminal and moral responsibility” rests with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “his criminal regime and Washington supports them”.
But Ukraine said Russian artillery was behind the attack, using it to cover up abuses of prisoners.
“It was a deliberate Russian war crime, a deliberate mass murder of Ukrainian prisoners of war,” Zelenskyy said.
“There needs to be a clear legal recognition of Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.”
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UN and Red Cross ready to go to prison attack site
According to reports, among the dead were Ukrainian soldiers who were captured in May after the fall of Mariupola southern port city, where they famously resisted a months-long siege by Russia.
The UN had previously said it was ready to send experts to investigate the prison attack if both sides agreed.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said it had requested access to the prison to “determine the health and condition of all persons present on the site at the time of the attack”.
It added: “Our priority right now is to ensure the injured receive life-saving treatment and the bodies of those killed are disposed of in a proper manner.”
Attacks at night
Meanwhile, Russia has carried out nighttime attacks on several Ukrainian cities.
Rockets hit a school in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, with another attack about an hour later.
Mayor Ihor Terekhov said there were no reports of injuries.
The regional government said one person was killed and six injured in shelling on a residential area of Mykolaiv in the south.
According to the mayor of the city Vadim Lyakh, a bus stop in Sloviansk was also affected.
Read more:
Zelenskyy orders mandatory evacuation from Donetsk region as fighting intensifies
Russian forces take control of key power plant – and push more troops south
Former TV journalist found guilty of ‘discrediting’ the Russian armed forces
Thank you Ukrainian refugees
Meanwhile, those in the UK who have raised more than 100,000 Ukrainians during the conflict will receive letters of thanks from the Ukrainian and British governments.
Letters will come from Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko and Refugee Minister Lord Harrington, praising households for contributing to “the largest offer of help to those fleeing war since since 1945” of the United Kingdom.
Some 104,000 people have come to the UK since the Ukraine visa program was launched in March – 31,300 under the family stream and 72,700 under the Home for Ukraine sponsorship scheme.
There have been almost 200,000 applications, meaning just over half of all applicants have gone to the UK.
The letter is expected to read: “You have saved lives, brought hope and provided shelter to those in need.
“This represents the UK’s largest offer of help to people fleeing war since 1945.”
