The UN has officially debunked Russian lies about the Olenivka prison massacre. A group of UN experts has released findings exposing a war crime committed by the Russian military against Ukrainian prisoners of war at the Volnovakha Correctional Colony No. 120 in Olenivka, says Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. 

The report has identified the type of weapon and munitions used by Russia in the attack carried out during the night of 28–29 July 2022, which killed over 50 Ukrainian defenders and wounded around 130 more.

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“This is an important document that should become a powerful push for continuing the investigation,” states Lubinets. 

He reminds that the pain over Olenivka has not faded, and Ukraine continues to demand just punishment for those responsible.

The report also exposes Russia’s manipulations, including its immediate attempt to blame Ukraine by falsely claiming the attack was carried out with a HIMARS strike.

The UN officially refuted that lie only a year later: “The Olenivka attack was not caused by a HIMARS missile.”

Despite the ICRC and UN’s initial readiness to investigate the tragedy, the mission was disbanded just five months later due to a lack of security guarantees. Lubinets notes that he repeatedly tried to submit materials to the UN mission, but they refused to review them.

“I also proposed a joint visit to the site of the tragedy with Russia’s human rights commissioner that offer was declined as well,” he adds.

In 2024, Serhii Yevsyukov, the former head of the Olenivka colony, died in a car bombing that also critically injured his wife. Ukrainian authorities accused Yevsyukov, who was then the head of the Olenivska colony, of involvement in the deaths of Ukrainian prisoners of war from the Azov battalion held in the detention center. 

The explosion was caused by a planted explosive device equivalent to approximately 100 grams of TNT. 

A massive terrorist attack nearly struck the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) headquarters in Kyiv, as 7 kilograms of explosives were carried directly to the agency’s entrance, UkrInform has reported. 

Maliuk revealed that the operation was part of a covert Kremlin order.

“In 2023, Putin signed a classified internal directive concerning so-called ‘diversionary noise.’ GRU and FSB are its executors. Their goal is to carry out as many terrorist attacks as possible on Ukrainian territory,” he said.

Ukrainian security had been monitoring a group suspected of planning the attack. One man was expected to pass a large amount of explosives to another operative.

“I told the team: if he takes it, we keep tailing him; if he enters the building, we arrest him,” Maliuk said.

But something unexpected happened.

“We see a young girl pick up the bag, get into a taxi that makes a wide circle and arrives here, on Volodymyrska Street. She gets out and carries the suitcase almost right to our front door,” he recounted.

The suitcase contained 7 kilograms of explosives packed with shrapnel. Fortunately, the girl was arrested before the bomb could be detonated.

“Given the amount of shrapnel, the Russians could have inflicted massive casualties,” he added.

Maliuk also noted that SBU personnel had long since relocated from that address.

“We’ve had multiple backup command posts for quite some time, for obvious reasons,” he said.

Earlier, Putin openly voiced his imperial doctrine: Russia claims as its own any territory entered by its troops. Also, he called Ukrainians and Russians “one people” and stressed that, in that sense, “all of Ukraine is ours.”

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump publicly states that he believes Putin wants peace. Later, he repeated the same statement, saying he thinks Russia wants to end the war but might be “dragging their feet” on taking decisive action.

Ukraine must rebuild the Kakhovka Hydropower Plant. Ukrhydroenergo, the state enterprise that administers hydro power plants, has announced it is preparing to fully design a new complex as soon as circumstances permit, Suspilne reports. 

Its destruction was one of Russia’s largest environmental and energy-related war crimes, and its reconstruction is a strategic step toward energy independence and national security. 

“We are ready to begin restoration work as soon as the war ends, the area is de-occupied, and agreements allow it,” emphasizes Bohdan Sukhetskyi, Acting CEO of the company.

According to him, a 3D model of the Kakhovka Reservoir bed has already been created, communication routes laid out, and a temporary dam planned. But actual construction can only begin after de-occupation and demining.

“Ukraine needs the Kakhovka HPP… Our first task is to ensure a water supply for the entire country. The second, to balance the power system,” Sukhetskyi reveals.

The destroyed plant was part of the Dnipro cascade of hydropower stations, which efficiently uses every drop of water from Kyiv to the Black Sea. Without Kakhovka, shipping stops, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant cannot be cooled, and clean energy isn’t generated.

“The shipping corridor from the upper Dnipro to the Black Sea is currently non-operational… until we raise the water level,” the company head explains.

Following the dam explosion on 6 June 2023, 620 km² of land across four regions were flooded. 100,000 people were affected, at least 32 were killed, and damages totaled $1.5 billion.

Some analysts see it the act as a form of revenge against Kherson Oblast for resisting Russian occupation, and as a demonstration that Russia was willing to take drastic measures when unable to hold territory by force.