"We will not forget ourselves and will not let the world forget": The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the anniversary of the Olenivka terrorist attack

Three years ago, on the night of July 28-29, 2022, Russian occupiers committed one of the most horrific and cynical war crimes on the territory of Ukraine - in the former correctional colony No. 210 in the urban-type settlement of Olenivka, in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region, more than 50 captured Ukrainian defenders of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol were killed. Another 150 or so were wounded to varying degrees of severity, reports UNN with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

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This 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 Russian aggressors to new war crimes, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

The foreign policy agency also reminded that since 2025, July 28 has been the Day of Commemoration of the Defenders of Ukraine, participants of volunteer formations, as well as civilians who were executed, tortured or died in captivity.

In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded that from the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion until the end of July 2022, the head of the colony organized the torture of more than 100 captured Ukrainian soldiers.

For torture, prisoners of war were taken to a specially created "disciplinary isolator" on the territory of the colony. On the territory of the colony, various types of physical violence and psychological pressure were applied to people, accompanied by constant threats of "slow" murder

At the same time, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General, more than 5,000 prisoners of war and more than 5,600 civilian prisoners became victims of Russian war crimes. In the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as in Russia, 176 stationary places of detention and more than 120 temporary (transit) holding points were found.

Ukraine called on the international community to increase pressure, including sanctions, on Russia to release all illegally detained, deported and forcibly displaced persons. In addition, Ukraine insists on the need to investigate the murders and tortures of Ukrainian military personnel in Russian captivity, particularly in Olenivka, and to issue arrest warrants for all those involved in these crimes – both perpetrators and organizers or those who gave orders.

We will not stop until we bring our people back. We will not stop until those responsible for the atrocities are punished. We will not forget ourselves and will not let the world forget

Recall

UN experts confirmed the planned crime of the Russian Federation in Volnovakha correctional colony No. 120 near Olenivka on July 29, 2022, which resulted in the death of more than 50 prisoners.