The Moscow-appointed chief of a notorious jail in Donetsk, in occupied eastern Ukraine, has apparently been killed in a car bomb explosion.
Sergei Yevsyukov, the head of Olenivka prison, is one of two people believed caught in the blast, with shocking footage of the aftermath now circulating on social media.
Two years ago, as many as 62 Ukrainian military personnel were killed in an explosion at the prison. The West has pointed the finger at Russia, which in turn claimed a Ukrainian-launched HIMARS missile was responsible.
The Russian Investigative Committee has opened an investigation into what it claimed was a “terror act”.
The clip was shared by Russian state-aligned newspaper Mash on Monday morning.
It commented: “After a car explosion in Donetsk, the head of the Yelenovka colony of the DPR, Sergei Yevsyukov, died. His wife was also injured – her leg was torn off, she is in hospital in serious condition.”
Preliminary investigations suggested a plastic explosive was planted under the bottom of the man’s Toyota Land Cruiser – equivalent to roughly 100 grams in TNT.
The statement went on to claim: “Earlier, a criminal case was opened against Yevsyukov and his deputy in Ukraine – they were accused of involvement in the deaths of prisoners of war of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from ‘Azovstal’ in July 2022.
“Then several American Himars flew into the colony in Yelenovka. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, two years ago, 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed, another 73 were injured.
“Fragments of a shell from an American Himars MLRS were found at the scene.”
Western officials and experts have dismissed Russian claims that a HIMARS missile caused the destruction, on July 29, 2022, which killed between 53 and 62 people and injured dozens more.
The prison held many of the defenders of Mariupol, including soldiers who had surrendered at the Azovstal steelworks after weeks of siege.
The attack sparked outrage internationally, with the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) calling for immediate investigations.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky labelled the incident “a deliberate war crime,” demanding accountability for those responsible.
Western leaders condemned the attack, with some pointing to it as further evidence of Russian violations of international law during the conflict. Despite calls for an impartial inquiry, the lack of cooperation from Russian authorities and conflicting narratives have hindered progress.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have since urged the warring parties to ensure the humane treatment of POWs as per the Geneva Conventions.
Ukrainian officials continue to push for international oversight of detention facilities in Russian-occupied territories to prevent further atrocities.
