Long Tail Of Attacks On Prisons Killing Prisoners Ukraine, Kyiv And Moscow Point At Each Other

Ukrainian soldiers attack Russia with HIMARS. (Wikimedia Commons/General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces)

JAKARTA - The attack on a prison that killed 40 Ukrainian prisoners of war had a long tail. Russia and Ukraine, which are still at war, accuse each other of being the real mastermind.

In addition to the 40 prisoners who died, 75 people were injured in the attack on a prison in separatist-controlled territory.

The Russian Defense Ministry immediately said the missile attack from the US-made multiple launch rocket system (HIMARS) was carried out at the pre-trial detention center in the residential area of Olenivka. There resided Ukrainian military prisoners of war, including fighters from the Azov battalion.

As a result of the attack, "40 Ukrainian POWs were killed and 75 injured," and eight prison staff were also injured, the ministry added. Reuters could not immediately verify the battlefield report.

The Ukrainian army is said to have the opportunity to retake the initiative, taking advantage of the extra range and precision offered by the more advanced artillery provided by Western allies in recent weeks, notably the HIMARS Ukraine has long sought.

HIMARS gave Ukraine the ability to strike nearly 50 miles behind Russian lines with a high degree of accuracy.

Quoted from the Kyiv Post, Ukraine accused Russia of carrying out the artillery attack on the prison.

"Tonight, Russia killed part of the captives of the 'Azov' regiment," reported the founder and first commander of the "Azov" regiment, Andriy Biletsky, in a message on Telegram on July 29.

"The Russian command framed the mass killing of prisoners as an act of the Ukrainian army," added Andriy Biletsky.