• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Statement by the MFA of Ukraine on the 3rd Anniversary of the Mass Killing of Ukrainian PoWs by Russia in Olenivka

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

28 July 2025 13:01

Three years ago, on the night of July 28-29, 2022, the Russian Federation committed one of the most horrific and cynical war crimes against Ukrainian prisoners of war (PoWs) on the territory of the former correctional colony No. 210 in the village of Olenivka on the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region of Ukraine.

As a result of an explosion on the territory of the correctional colony where they were held, more than 50 Ukrainian defenders from Azovstal, who were in captivity, were killed. About 150 were injured to varying degrees of severity.

This tragic day serves as a reminder to the whole world that for Russia there are no norms of international humanitarian law, laws and customs of war. Impunity only encourages the Russian invaders to commit new war crimes.

We remind the international community that the Olenivka colony is a place of death and torture. Thus, from the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation until the end of July 2022, the head of the colony organized the torture of more than 100 captured Ukrainian soldiers. For torture, PoWs were taken to a specially created "disciplinary isolation room" on the territory of the colony. In the colony, people were subjected to various types of physical violence and psychological pressure, accompanied by constant threats of "slow" killing.

Since 2025, July 28 has been the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Ukraine, members of volunteer formations, as well as civilians who were tortured, executed or killed in captivity.

We draw the world's attention to the fact that, according to the data of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, more than 5,000 PoWs and over 5,600 civilian detainees have become victims of Russian war crimes. The prisoners have been systematically tortured: beaten, electrocuted, attacked by service dogs, suffocated, hung by hands or legs, subjected to mock executions, and sexually assaulted. Cases of mutilation, burns, and psychological abuse were recorded. 176 stationary places of deprivation of liberty and more than 120 temporary (transit) detention points were identified on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and Russia.

Underlining Ukraine's unwavering commitment to the norms and principles of international humanitarian law, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasizes the urgent need for immediate action by the international community in response to Russia's systematic torture, executions, and killing of PoWs and civilian hostages.

We insist on the need to intensify pressure, including sanctions, on the Russian Federation to immediately release all Ukrainian PoWs, internees, civilians, forcibly displaced persons, and deportees, including children, and to respect their rights in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of 12 August 1949, and Protocol Additional (Protocol I) to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949.

We insist on the urgent need to investigate the mass killing and torture of Ukrainian PoWs in the Olenivka colony and other crimes against Ukrainian citizens who have been and remain in captivity.

Ukraine calls on the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for those involved - both the direct perpetrators and those who gave the orders and are attempting to conceal the commission of this international crime. We urge international judicial bodies, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and human rights defenders to respond to Russia's systematic violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, including torture, executions, and killing of prisoners.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will continue to make every effort to protect the rights of our citizens and hold accountable all those involved in war crimes.

We will not stop until we bring our people home. We will not stop until those guilty of atrocities are punished. We will neither forget, nor allow the world to forget. Eternal memory and honour to the fallen Ukrainian defenders.