Russia, Ukraine trade blame for shelling of PoW prison
Russia and Ukraine on Friday accused one another of shelling a jail in a separatist japanese area that reportedly killed dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of struggle who had been captured after the autumn of Mariupol in Could.
Russia stated that Ukraine used U.S.-supplied HIMARS a number of rocket launchers within the assault on the jail in Olenivka, within the Russian-controlled Donetsk area. Officers from Russia and the separatist authorities in Donetsk stated the assault killed 53 Ukrainian PoWs and wounded 75.
Russian Defence Ministry spokesperson Lt.-Gen. Igor Konashenkov described the strike as a “bloody provocation” geared toward discouraging Ukrainian troopers from surrendering. He stated that eight jail guards had been additionally wounded by the shelling.
The Ukrainian army denied any rocket or artillery strikes on Olenivka, insisting that it wasn’t shelling civilian areas and solely strikes Russian army targets.
Ukraine claims coverup
It accused the Russian forces of intentionally shelling the jail in Olenivka with a view to accuse Ukraine of struggle crimes and in addition to cowl up torture and executions there.
The assertion denounced the Russian claims as a part of an “info struggle to accuse the Ukrainian armed forces of shelling civilian infrastructure and the inhabitants to cowl up their very own treacherous motion.”
Neither declare might be independently verified.
Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-backed separatist chief, stated the jail has 193 inmates. He did not specify what number of of them had been Ukrainian PoWs.
Ukrainian authorities within the Donetsk area stated Russia has pressed on with the shelling of civilian targets in Ukrainian-held areas.
“The combating within the area has been intensifying by the day, and civilians should evacuate whereas it is nonetheless potential,” stated Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko. “The Russian military does not fear about civilian casualties. They’re pummelling cities and villages within the area.”
The Ukrainian troops in Mariupol had been taken prisoner after the fierce combating for Ukraine’s Azov Sea port, the place that they had been holed up on the big Azovstal metal mill. Their resistance has change into a logo of Ukrainian battle in opposition to the Russian invasion that began on Feb. 24.
The Azov Regiment and different Ukrainian models defended the metal mill for almost three months, clinging to its underground maze of tunnels. Greater than 2,400 surrendered in Could underneath relentless Russian assaults from the bottom, sea and air.
Scores of Ukrainian troopers had been taken to prisons in Russian-controlled areas such because the Donetsk area, a breakaway space in Japanese Ukraine, which is run by Russian-backed separatist authorities. Some have returned to Ukraine as a part of prisoner exchanges with Russia, however households of others do not know whether or not their family members are alive, or if they’ll ever come residence.
Extra shelling in Kharkiv
In different developments, Ukrainian officers stated Russian forces shelled the nation’s second-largest metropolis, Kharkiv.
Mayor Ihor Terekhov stated a central a part of the northeastern metropolis was hit, together with a two-storey constructing and the next training establishment. Terekhov stated the strike occurred simply after 4 a.m. on Friday.
“The State Emergency Service is already working — they’re checking out the rubble, searching for individuals underneath them,” Terekhov stated in a Telegram replace.
The Ukrainian presidential workplace stated that no less than 13 civilians had been killed and one other 36 had been wounded in Russian shelling over the previous 24 hours.
Within the southern metropolis of Mykolaiv, no less than 4 individuals had been killed and 7 others had been wounded when Russian shelling hit a bus cease.
“The Russians have modified their techniques due to the Ukrainian forces’ successes within the south … they hearth close to a bus cease,” Mykolaiv Gov. Vitaliy Kim stated.
The Russian barrage additionally hit a facility for distribution of humanitarian help, the place three individuals had been wounded, officers stated.
Ukrainian officers additionally stated no less than 4 civilians had been killed and one other 5 had been wounded within the japanese city of Bakhmut within the Donetsk area, which is the main target of the Russian offensive within the Donbas. Greater than 30 residential buildings and a kindergarten had been broken.
Ukraine set to ship grain once more
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday visited the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk, alongside together with his infrastructure minister and a gaggle of G7 diplomats, together with the ambassadors to Ukraine from the U.S., Germany, the U.Okay. and Canada.
As he stood close to a Turkish vessel that was ready to depart, Zelenskyy stated his nation is able to resume grain shipments for the primary time in 5 months, underneath an export settlement Ukraine reached with Russia per week in the past.
“We despatched all of the indicators to our companions — the UN and Turkey, and our army ensures the safety state of affairs. The minister of infrastructure is in direct contact with Turkey and the UN. We’re ready for them to provide the go-ahead.”
Zelenskyy stated as soon as that occurs, he believes the primary shipments may start as we speak or Saturday.
