Investigation continues in destroyed prison in Yelenovka as Steven Seagal makes documentary

Donetsk People’s Republic Foreign Minister Nataliya Nikonorova said that the investigation into the shelling of a prison in Yelenovka is ongoing, while on a visit to the site on Wednesday.

She went on to say that all the prisoners of war in DPR 'are protected by the Geneva Conventions', regardless of what they have done.

"We have already worked on a draft international treaty to establish a tribunal. This is only part of the work. Now, the most painstaking work is being done on the charter, because this massive document approves the rules of behaviour of the parties in the process, the appointment of judges, and so on. Nevertheless, this work is ongoing, the tribunal will take place in any case, so all these prisoners should reach the tribunal, and then it will be up to the court to decide," the minister explained.

Head of the Russian State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Leonid Slutsky, claimed that it has not yet been possible to establish contact with UN officials about the situation.

"We do not exclude that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, will send their representatives to the Donetsk Republic in anticipation of the position that Russia will certainly state during the General Assembly session, but so far we see that they are not even in contact," Slutsky said.

Nikonorova also stated that the DPR has not yet managed to establish a co-operative approach with representatives of the Red Cross.

"Current staff of the Red Cross working in Donetsk are trying to talk to us exclusively in the language of ultimatums, that is: 'Yes, we will help you here or come here, but if you let us do this and this,'" she said.

"This is not the way representatives of international organisations work in the territory of the DPR. This is the first thing. Second, the Red Cross, as a humanitarian organisation working in the conflict environment, has to work in accordance with the legislation of the party to the conflict where it is located. Now we are faced with the fact that the Red Cross is unwilling to do this," Nikonorova added.

The footage also features US actor Steven Seagal visiting the Yelenovka site, where more than 50 people were reported killed by the shelling.

According to DPR Head Denis Pushilin, the Hollywood star is filming a documentary about the conflict in Donbass and had interviewed prisoners of war (POW).

On July 29, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed Ukrainian forces had conducted a shelling on the detention centre in Yelenovka, where POWs were held.

"As of the July 30 morning updated information, 50 Ukrainians have been killed in a missile attack. 73 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been taken to medical facilities with serious injuries. All of them have been provided with the necessary medical assistance," he noted the following day.

The Russian Investigations Committee has opened a criminal case under Article 356 of the Russian Criminal Code, on the 'use of prohibited means and methods of warfare'.

In response, a briefing from the Ukrainian General Staff stated that the Russian Armed Forces had shelled the penitentiary facility, while on Friday, July 29, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also blamed the Russian side.

"This was a deliberate Russian war crime, a deliberate massacre of Ukrainian prisoners of war. More than 50 dead," Zelensky stated.

Earlier, on March 9, Konashenkov announced that the DPR Militia's soldiers had taken control of the Signalnoye, Taramchuk, Yelenovka, and Trudovoye settlements.

Moscow launched the military offensive on Ukraine in late February after recognising the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics' independence (DPR and LPR). Kiev denounced the Russian action, and Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation.

During recent peace talks, Russia called for Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral, and provide guarantees that it will never join NATO.

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