Russia accuses Ukraine of killing Ukrainian POWs

Russia has accused Ukraine of killing Ukrainian Prisoners of War (POWs) with U.S.-made HIMARS rockets.

Russia’s defence ministry said 40 prisoners were killed and 75 wounded in the attack on the prison in the frontline town of Olenivka, in a part of Donetsk province held by separatists.

It said the prison housed Ukrainian prisoners of war and that eight prison staff were also wounded.

Russian-backed separatist leader Denis Pushilin was quoted as saying there were no foreigners among 193 people held there.

Video released by a Russian war correspondent showed Russian-backed military personnel sifting through the burned-out remains of what he said was the prison.

The smashed roof of the building was hanging down and the charred remains of bodies could be seen.

Ukraine’s armed forces denied carrying out the strike and blamed it on Russian forces, saying Russian artillery had targeted the prison.

“In this way, the 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 of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said.

The incident overshadowed U.N.-backed efforts to restart grain shipments from Ukraine and ease a looming global hunger crisis stemming from the war, now in its sixth month.

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Russia and Ukraine agreed last week to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports, which have been threatened by Russian attacks since it invaded Ukraine on February 24.

The deal was the first diplomatic breakthrough of the conflict and wheat prices being offered in Asia slid this week on expectations of higher supplies.

But fierce fighting makes it extremely risky.

Zainab Sa’id