UN refutes Russia’s claim about 'HIMARS strike’ on POW camp in Olenivka
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Despite Moscow’s repeated claims, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has concluded that a Ukrainian HIMARS rocket artillery strike could not have been behind the July 2022 attack on a POW camp in occupied Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine’s ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said in a Telegram post on Oct. 4.
According to the UN report, the extent of damage to the walls, ceilings, windows of the barracks, the condition of beds inside, the size of the crater, and the blast radius are not consistent with impacts of HIMARS ammunition. Even a single such rocket would likely have caused more destruction, the UN believes. Furthermore, witnesses reported hearing several explosions.
Analysis of photos and videos from the site showed that the munition penetrated through the roof, moving from east to west. The precise type of weapon and its origin were not determined.
While the UN does not directly state that Russia is to blame for this tragedy, it does point out that the belligerent holding the POWs is responsible for their safety.
“Unfortunately, even in such a serious UN report, they can’t add 2+2 and understand that only Russia is to blame for this tragedy,” added Lubinets.
“I hope that in the next report they will have the courage to say so directly.”
On July 29, 2022, Ukraine’s General Stuff reported that the Russians had staged a strike at a POW camp in Olenivka, seeking to accuse Ukraine of committing war crimes, while also concealing evidence of torture and executions of prisoners.
Russian state media reported at least 53 Ukrainian POWs were killed during the attack, which they falsely blamed on Ukraine. According to Ukraine’s Prosecutor General's Office, about 40 people were killed and 130 injured in the attack.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said that, according to international experts, thermobaric weapons were the cause of the explosion at the prison colony. Ukraine does not have access to such weapons.
On January 5, the UN disbanded the mission to investigate the attack on Olenivka POW camp. Russia did not allow international organizations to access the site for investigation.
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