Shelling by Ukraine killed 53 POWs, claims Russia
Kyiv, July 29
Russian-backed separatists on Friday said a Ukrainian attack with US-supplied missiles on a separatist eastern region hit a prison and killed 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were captured in Mariupol. There was no immediate confirmation of the attack from Ukraine.
The attack with HIMARS multiple rocket launchers on the prison in Olenivka in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region also injured 75 Ukrainian POWs, said Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Gen Igor Konashenkov.
Konashenkov described the strike as a “bloody provocation” aimed at discouraging Ukrainian soldiers from surrendering. He said eight prison guards were also wounded in the shelling.
The Ukrainian military, meanwhile, denied any rocket or artillery strikes on Olenivka, insisting that it wasn’t shelling civilian areas and only struck Russian military targets.
It accused the Russian forces of deliberately shelling the prison in Olenivka in order to accuse Ukraine of war crimes and also to cover-up torture and executions there.
Ukrainian authorities in the Donetsk region said Russia had pressed on with the shelling of civilian targets in Ukrainian-held areas. — AP
Kremlin warns US against provoking china
Moscow: The Kremlin on Friday offered strong support to China amid the tensions over Taiwan, warning the US against any ‘provocative’ moves that could exacerbate the situation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia staunchly supported China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. AP
