Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General
SSU Identifies Two Russian War Criminals Involved in Mass Murder of Ukrainian POWs
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), together with the Office of the Prosecutor General, has gathered evidence against two Russian war criminals involved in the mass murder of Ukrainian prisoners of war in the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk region in July 2022.
The suspects are collaborator Serhii Yevsyukov, former head of the so-called “Volnovakha Colony of the DPR” in Olenivka, and his former first deputy, collaborator Dmytro Neyolov.
Investigation Details
According to the investigation, both suspects were in their “positions” when Russian forces organized explosions at the prison on the night of July 29. As a result of this attack, at least 50 Ukrainian soldiers held in captivity were killed. Nine of them died due to lack of urgent medical care, and nearly 150 were injured.
Charges and Legal Actions
The evidence shows that Yevsyukov and Neyolov were aware of the consequences of the explosions and the number of casualties but deliberately delayed the evacuation of the wounded to medical facilities. Based on the collected evidence, SSU investigators charged them under part 2 of Article 28 and part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (cruel treatment of prisoners of war, combined with intentional murder, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy).
In November 2022, the occupiers “reassigned” both suspects to other positions. Currently, they are hiding from justice in the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk region.
Efforts to Punish the Guilty
Comprehensive measures are ongoing to locate and punish the criminals for their crimes against Ukrainian soldiers. The investigation is being conducted under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General.
The Olenivka Incident
In July 2022, Russian invaders organized an explosion at the Olenivka prison, where Ukrainian prisoners of war, including defenders of Azovstal, were held. According to Russian reports, more than 50 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the explosion. Intelligence indicated that the Russian side did not plan to destroy the Ukrainian soldiers in Olenivka but decided to carry out executions to hide traces of torture and poor conditions of detention.
In July 2023, it became known that Ukraine had returned the bodies of the fallen defenders. According to the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada, Dmytro Lubinets, most of them were identified.
The Security Service of Ukraine continues to work on identifying and bringing to justice all individuals involved in war crimes on the territory of our country. Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement agencies, the world receives evidence of crimes committed against Ukrainian prisoners of war, which is an important step towards justice and the restoration of truth.
Source: SBU
