Russia says 40 Ukrainian prisoners of war killed in shelling

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - Russia said Friday at least 40 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed and 75 others wounded in an overnight attack at a pre-trial detention center in the Russia-controlled territory of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.

A majority of those killed were captured at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol city, which fell into Russia's control after weeks-long fighting and a blockade, according to a statement from Russia's Defense Ministry.

The Ukrainian attack was a "deliberate bloody provocation," as well as an attempt to intimidate Ukrainian servicemen against surrendering, the statement further said.

Also, eight prison staff were injured in the attack.

The attack was carried out by a missile launched from the American long-range High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), the statement added.

A large number of Ukrainian servicemen have voluntarily surrendered in recent days after learning about Russia's "humane attitude towards prisoners of war," the statement said.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Internal Affairs Ministry of Ukraine, denied the allegations.

"All Russian media are full of claims that Ukraine made a rocket strike on prison in Elenovka near Donetsk - where Ukrainian POWs were, mostly from Azovstal. Obviously, Ukrainian Army would never shoot any object like that. It is either a fake altogether or another horrible Russian crime," he said in a tweet.