UN: Tragedy in Olenivka was not caused by Ukrainian forces launching HIMARS missile
OHCHR also confirms authenticity of video of soldier killed after saying "Glory to Ukraine" and video of beheading
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in its latest report stated that the tragedy in the colony in Olenivka was not the result of the launch of a HIMARS missile by the Ukrainian armed forces.
Source. This is stated in the organization's report, cited by Interfax-Ukraine.
"With regard to the explosions that killed at least 51 Ukrainian prisoners of war and injured at least 139 on the night of 28-29 July 2022 in a penal colony near Olenivka in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region, OHCHR has concluded that the incident was not the result of a HIMARS missile launched by the Ukrainian armed forces. An analysis of available photographic and video footage showed that the damage to the barracks appeared to have been caused by a shell fired from the east," the report said.
OHCHR notes that the Russian Federation kept prisoners of war in the colony in close proximity to the front line, exposing them to danger, which is contrary to the provisions of international humanitarian law relating to the safety of prisoners of war.
"A comprehensive and impartial investigation is required, including necessary access for international investigators to the site," OHCHR called for.
In addition, OHCHR documented six additional cases of extrajudicial executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war and confirmed the authenticity of the video of the killing of a soldier after the phrase "Glory to Ukraine" and the video of the decapitation of a soldier.
"OHCHR documented six additional cases of extrajudicial executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war, all of which occurred before the reporting period. The Office also continued to document allegations of torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war held by the Russian Federation, as well as appalling conditions of detention, including forced labor," the report says.
The Office also investigated two videos that appeared online on March 6 and April 11, 2023, in which Russian servicemen torture and execute two Ukrainian prisoners of war without trial.
"In the first video, Russian soldiers shot and killed a Ukrainian prisoner of war after he said 'Glory to Ukraine'. In the second video, a Russian serviceman beheaded a Ukrainian serviceman. OHCHR has reasonable grounds to believe that both videos, which were allegedly recorded prior to the reporting period, are authentic," the report says.
Background. As a reminder, according to the UN report, at least 1,028 civilians were killed in Ukraine between February 1 and July 31.
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