CNN couldn’t instantly confirm the allegations of both facet.
Video aired on Russian networks and shared on social media channels in Donetsk present in depth destruction to a constructing and a number of our bodies. CNN was in a position to geolocate footage of the strike to an industrial space about two miles outdoors the frontline city of Olenivka.
The Ukrainian navy mentioned the explosion befell on the territory of the economic zone, in a newly constructed constructing specifically outfitted to carry prisoners taken out of Azovstal.
The Ukrainian prosecutor’s workplace has launched an investigation into the Olenivka strike. In an announcement, it mentioned pretrial preliminary knowledge reveals “the occupying state struck the territory of penal colony No. 120 in the temporarily occupied Olenivka village of Volnovakha district of Donetsk region.”
Ukraine’s General Staff mentioned in an announcement “the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not launch missile and artillery strikes in the area of Olenivka settlement” and accused Russian forces of finishing up “a targeted artillery shelling of a correctional institution in the settlement of Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast, where Ukrainian prisoners were also held.”
The General Staff assertion mentioned the armed forces “have never conducted and are not conducting shelling of civilian infrastructure, especially places where combat fellows are likely to be kept as POWs.”
“Russian occupiers pursued their criminal goals — to accuse Ukraine of committing ‘war crimes,’ as well as to hide the torture of prisoners and executions,” the General Staff mentioned.
“The alleged shelling of civilian infrastructure and the population by the Armed Forces of Ukraine are outright lies and provocation, the responsibility of which is borne by Russia.”
In an announcement, the Russian Ministry of Defense mentioned “the Kyiv regime deliberately carried out a bloody provocation” and claimed “40 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed and 75 were wounded. In addition, eight employees of the isolation ward received injuries of varying severity.”
“The pre-trial detention center in the area of the settlement of Yelenovka (Olenivka), which contains Ukrainian military prisoners of war, including militants of the Azov formation, was hit by a missile attack from the American HIMARS multiple launch rocket system.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense was reiterating claims made earlier by authorities within the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, a separatist-held space of japanese Ukraine. The ministry claimed “this blatant provocation was committed to intimidate Ukrainian servicemen and prevent them from being taken prisoner.”
The senior surgeon on obligation on the Central City Clinical Hospital of Donetsk No. 16, Mikhail Yurenko, mentioned the seven survivors of the strike dropped at his facility for remedy are in important situation.
“Seven prisoners of war of the Ukrainian army with lesions of different localization were delivered by ambulance. All patients received combined surgical care,” Yurenko mentioned in a information convention broadcast over social media.
“The patients are currently in the intensive care unit.”
Ukraine blames mercenary group
Ukrainian intelligence mentioned the explosion was carried out by the Russia mercenary group Wagner and was not coordinated with the Russian Ministry of Defense. CNN can’t independently confirm the accusations.
“According to available information, (the explosions) were carried out by mercenaries from the Wagner (League) PMC under the personal command of the nominal owner of the specified PMC — Evgeniy Prigozhin,” the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense mentioned in an announcement on Friday. “The organization and execution of the terrorist attack were not coordinated with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.”
Ukrainian intelligence says the assault was carried out to cover the embezzlement of funds allotted to take care of the POWs and to stir social rigidity in Ukraine.
“Considering the great public interest in the fate of the Heroes of Azovstal, according to the authors of the scenario of the terrorist attack, the death of the Defenders should lead to increased social tension in Ukraine,” the assertion learn.
The head of Ukraine’s protection intelligence known as on the worldwide group to place stress on Russia.
“To find out the real circumstances of the terrorist attack and to prevent a repetition of this in the future, I call on all international institutions to express a tough position regarding the events in Olenivka,” mentioned the top of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budano.
A gaggle engaged on behalf of Ukrainian troopers held as prisoners of battle posted Friday “it is with deep sadness that we are forced to confirm the information about the attack on the penal colony in Olenivka, where the ‘Azov’ regiment soldiers are being held as POW.”
The group, often called the Angels of Azov, mentioned on Telegram: “We are finding out the names of the dead and injured through our own channels. The International Committee of the Red Cross also went to the place.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross, whose representatives had beforehand visited the prisoners, has not commented.
CNN’s Kara Fox and Kostan Nechyporenko contributed to this report.