Former prison colony head allegedly killed in targeted vehicle bombing in occupied Donetsk

Serhii Yevsyukov, the former head of the Olenivka colony, reportedly died in a car bombing that also critically injured his wife, Russian media Ria Novosti reported.

Ukrainian authorities accuse Yevsyukov, who was then the head of the Olenivska colony, of involvement in the deaths of Ukrainian prisoners of war from the Azov battalion who were held in the Olenivska colony. On 29 July 2022, an explosion occurred there, killing 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war, injuring over 150.

The car explosion occurred on 9 December. According to the video, the car was parked in a parking lot, and as soon as the driver got behind the wheel, an explosion occurred. Russian media reported that two people were injured.

The Russian Mash telegram channel reported that Serhiy Yevsiukov was killed in the explosion. His wife was allegedly injured – her leg was blown off and she is in serious condition in the hospital.

According to Mash, the explosion was caused by a planted explosive device equivalent to approximately 100 grams of TNT.

In July, the Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced suspicions against Yevsyukov and his former first deputy, Dmytro Neilov, for their alleged roles in the July 2022 explosion at the Olenivka prison that resulted in the deaths of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

The service alleged that during the 29 July 2022 prison attack, Yevsyukov and Neilov were in positions of authority and deliberately delayed evacuating wounded prisoners, leading to multiple fatalities.

In November 2022, both Yevsyukov and Neilov were reportedly replaced in their positions and were believed to be hiding in the occupied part of the Donetsk Oblast.

The Ukrainian General Staff denied Russian accusations of Ukrainian Armed Forces involvement, suggesting instead that the Russians were attempting to cover up torture and killings of prisoners.

Read also:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!