Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres on August 3 announced the creation of a UN mission to gather facts about the deaths of Ukrainian prisoners of war from the “Azov” regiment in Russian-occupied Olenivka.
Source: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
“We receive requests from the Russian Federation and requests from Ukraine calling for an investigation of what happened (in Olenivka). I don’t have the authority to conduct criminal investigations, but I have decided to launch a fact-finding mission.”
“We hope to have all the facilities from both sides for access and for the obtention of all data that is necessary to be able to clarify the truths about what has happened,” Guterres said, adding they are looking for “competent, independent people” to join the mission team.”
Guterres said that all the facts that would be discovered during the fact-finding mission will be handed over to the governments of Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
“This is an issue we have approached very seriously. And we are working hard on it,” he concluded.
On July 28, Ukrainian prisoners of war died in the Olenivka prison facility in the territory not controlled by Ukraine as a result of deliberate actions by the Russian occupiers. According to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, about 40 people died and 130 were injured.
See also: The UN does not respond to Ukraine’s requests on the killing of Ukrainian war prisoners
