Prosecutor General’s office names probable cause of explosion in Olenivka: thermobaric ammunition explosion

IRYNA BALACHUK — TUESDAY, 30 AUGUST, 2022, 11:48

The Office of the Prosecutor General believes that flamethrower ammunition could have exploded in the prison camp in occupied Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast, where dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed.

Source: Germany’s international broadcaster DW (Deutsche Welle) citing the Office of the Prosecutor General’s response to a request

Quote from Office of the Prosecutor General: "[Thermobaric ammunition could have exploded in the prison camp in Olenivka – ed.] Namely, a capsule containing a combustible mixture for thermobaric explosive flamethrowers such as Shmel, Shmel-M or Rys."

Details: It is reported that the investigation came to this conclusion based on the results of an analysis of freely available video footage. Specialists in radiation, chemical and biological protection units, as well as in the identification of munitions and engineering units and subunits took part in the study.

It is noted that there is ongoing comprehensive forensic examination in the criminal proceedings of weapons and traces and circumstances of their use, as well as explosive and technical fire examinations.

At the same time, DW emphasises that a month after the explosion in the prison camp in Olenivka, there is still no information about the UN or Red Cross investigation.

Previously: In an interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Mykyta ‘Raz-Dva’ [‘One-Two’] Nadtochiy, the Acting Commander of Azov, reported that the occupiers may have used RPO-A Shmel [Russian for bumblebee], the rocket-propelled infantry flamethrower, to kill Ukrainian defenders in Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast. These weapons quickly burn oxygen, and the victim burns up within seconds.

Background:

• On 29 July, Russian media reported the shelling of the prison camp in Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast, where Ukrainian prisoners were held. Propagandists claimed that at least 53 people were killed. 
• The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces denied the claims by the Russian Federation that the strike was carried out by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the General Staff, the Russians were trying to cover up the torture and murder of prisoners.
• The Ukrainian Intelligence Service believes that the killing of Ukrainian prisoners in Olenivka, Donetsk Oblast, was organised by mercenaries from the Wagner Group private military company on the personal instructions of Yevgeny Prigozhin, without coordinating this with the leadership of the Russian Defence Ministry.
• The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) intercepted telephone conversations in which the invaders confirmed that Russian troops are to blame for an explosion in the prison camp in occupied Olenivka which killed at least 53 Ukrainian prisoners.
• Azov units announced a hunt for those involved in the killing of prisoners of war in Olenivka.

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