UN seeks access to Olenivka jail to probe attack that killed 53 Ukrainian POWs: Report

United Nations is rey to deploy a team of specialists to examine recent brutal attack on Olenivka prison colony in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, a Russian state news agency reported, citing deputy spokesman of UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq. Furr, Red Cross and United Nations have requested access to jail where scores of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) were killed on Saturday; however, Russia has so far remained silent in response. 

Referring to this, UN Chief António Guterres’s deputy spokesperson said, “In connection with recent tragedy in Olenivka prison, we are rey to send a team of experts capable of conducting an investigation with permission of parties", Kyiv Independent reported. Haq even noted that UN supports Red Cross' attempts to secure access to location and that investigation would need permission of all parties. 

According to a New York Post report, assault on Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian town of Olenivka, which Moscow claims resulted in deaths of 53 Ukrainian POWs and injuries of an ditional 75, would be investigated by UN.  

Russia claims Ukraine orchestrated  Olenivka attack

Besides this, Russia asserted that Ukraine h fired missiles that damaged facility, while Ukraine argued that fatal bombardment on Thursday night represented a "war crime." Both sides claim that attack was preplanned and aimed at silencing detainees re and ericating any proof of potential crimes, New York Post reported.  

A list of 48 Ukrainian soldiers who lost ir lives in strike, ranging in age from 20 to 62, was released by Russian Defense Ministry late on Saturday. Dmytro Lubinets, Human Rights ombudsman for Ukraine, stated that Russia has not yet indicated when or how corpses of deceased troops may be collected. 

Lubinets said, “I have requested this information. So far, we have not yet received lists. I know that Russian side has m, but we do not have m at present”, New York Post reported. He furr ded, “I can only obtain overall numbers – that is, how many (prisoners)were held re, how many have been killed, how many have been injured.” 

In meantime, embattled President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video speech that attack was a "deliberate Russian war crime, a deliberate mass murder of Ukrainian prisoners of war", according to media reports. He also urged United States to list Moscow as a state supporter of terrorism. In order to prevent perpetrator from committing more war crimes, he called on Biden ministration to act immediately. 

(Image: AP/@sidiomarny/Twitter)