Late at night, reports emerged from the DPR representative office about damage to a detention facility in the Yelenovka enclave. The officials described the site as the location of a pretrial detention center, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were held, including members of the Azov movement. The scene and its consequences were confirmed by the Russian Defense Ministry, which attributed the strike to Ukrainian forces using HIMARS systems. The ministry’s spokesperson, Igor Konashenkov, asserted that the attack was carried out by the American-made HIMARS rocket system and pointed the finger at Kyiv for initiating the assault. These claims were carried in statements that framed the event as an act intended to intimidate fighters who might consider relinquishing weapons. [citation: DPR press office]
The initial casualty figures reported by DPR authorities listed dozens of deaths and extensive injuries among detainees and staff at the facility. As the night progressed, updates indicated a rising death toll and more wounded, with some staff members sustaining injuries of varying severity. The official line suggested the strike targeted a sensitive objective to deter Ukrainian soldiers from continuing resistance within the detention complex. [citation: DPR information bureau]
Leaders within the DPR, including Denis Pushilin, condemned the attack and described it as a provocation by Ukrainian forces. Pushilin stated that the strike appeared deliberate and aimed at destroying individuals held at the center, including members of the Azov regiment who were providing testimony. The assertion was echoed by DPR channels and later echoed by regional defense authorities. [citation: DPR leadership statements]
Following the incident, regional authorities reported that the toll had continued to rise, with the death count reaching beyond fifty and the number of injured increasing as more medical assessments were completed. The update underscored that the assault occurred during the night, within the confines of the detention facility that housed Ukrainian personnel. [citation: Volnovakha regional defense bloc]
Official statements from the DPR described the attack as a calculated operation by Ukrainian forces designed to erase evidence of war crimes alleged to have been committed against civilians in Donbass. In response, Ukrainian representatives rejected the charges, insisting that Kyiv had not carried out any rocket or artillery attacks on Yelenovka and accusing Moscow of attempting to deflect responsibility. Kyiv asserted that the purpose of such narratives was to frame Ukraine as responsible for alleged aggression. [citation: Ukrainian General Staff and Kyiv briefings]
Eduard Basurin, deputy head of the DPR People’s Militia, addressed reporters with remarks that suggested the Ukrainian side had knowledge of where prisoners were held in the Yelenovka facility. Basurin connected claims of Ukrainian wrongdoing to orders emanating from Kyiv, arguing that political leadership in Ukraine decided to target the site to suppress testimonies. The comments reflected a broader narrative in which battlefield actions are tied to strategic goals beyond immediate military objectives. [citation: DPR militia statements]
In parallel, the Russian Investigative Committee opened a case under Article 356, addressing the use of prohibited means and methods in armed conflict. The agency stated that Ukrainian forces had employed shells from HIMARS to strike the detention center, where Azov Battalion members were held, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries. The investigation noted that final casualty figures were being clarified as information continued to be gathered. [citation: Russian Investigative Committee]
From Kyiv’s side, officials argued that Moscow bore responsibility for the attack, while Ukrainian authorities maintained that their forces did not execute such strikes on Yelenovka. Ukrainian military leadership framed the incident as an attempt to sully Ukraine’s name by alleging war crimes, a narrative intended to complicate international perception of the conflict. [citation: Ukrainian General Staff]