UN confirms Russia’s responsibility for Olenivka prisoner massacre of Ukrainian POWs

The United Nations (UN) has confirmed that Russia is responsible for the July 2022 terrorist attack on the Olenivka prison in the Russian occupied part of Donetsk region, which killed 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war and injured approximately 130 others. 

The Olenivka detention facility is formally known as Volnovakha Correctional Colony No. 120 and had recently held captured Ukrainian defenders, including many from the Azovstal garrison in Mariupol, who had surrendered under guarantees of humane treatment mediated by international organizations, including the Red Cross. 

Ukraine’s Parliamentary Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets reported on the matter, citing the investigation report.

“Finally, things are being called what they really are!” he said.

The UN identified the weapons and ammunition used by the Russian Armed Forces to kill Ukrainian prisoners of war and provided a detailed account of the planning, organization, and execution of the attack. 

It also reviewed the investigations conducted by Russia, Ukraine, and the UN, and offers further recommendations for Ukraine.

“This is a crucial document that should serve as a strong catalyst to continue the investigation. The pain Ukrainians feel over Olenivka remains,” Lubinets said. “We demand a thorough investigation and the fair punishment of those responsible.”

The Ombudsman reminded that Russia “committed a disgraceful terrorist act” on the night of July 28–29, 2022, at Volnovakha Correctional Colony No. 120 near Olenivka.

Immediately after the explosion, Russia blamed Ukraine and claimed the attack was caused by a HIMARS rocket strike.

“I want to remind you that the ICRC and the UN offered to investigate the attack. However, just five months later, the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Olenivka was disbanded due to a lack of security guarantees,” Lubinets said.

He also said that he “repeatedly tried to meet with members of the UN Mission to provide materials available in Ukraine.”

“The Mission never agreed to review them. I also proposed to the Russian human rights commissioner that we jointly visit the site of the tragedy, but that request was refused as well,” Lubinets said.

He said that it was only a year later that the UN rejected Russia’s claim and confirmed that the Olenivka attack “was not caused by a HIMARS rocket.”