The head of the Yelenovka prison in Donetsk was killed in a car explosion.

On the morning of Monday, December 9, an explosion occurred in the center of temporarily occupied Donetsk. A car with people inside detonated in the city.

This information was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing the Russian Telegram channel Mash.

According to Russian media, an SUV exploded on Universitetskaya Street, which was carrying two individuals.

The Russians claim that the vehicle belonged to the head of the Yelenovka colony in the DPR, Sergey Evsyukov. He died in the blast.

His wife also suffered injuries – she lost a leg and is in serious condition in the hospital.

The Russians assert that approximately 100 grams of plastic explosive equivalent was planted under the chassis of Evsyukov's Toyota Land Cruiser.

Who is Evsyukov

Sergey Evsyukov is a former head of the colony in the settlement of Yelenovka, which is located in the occupied territory of Donetsk region controlled by the so-called "DPR." His actions came under scrutiny due to the mass killing of Ukrainian prisoners of war in the colony on July 29, 2022, when at least 50 POWs died as a result of an explosion, and around 150 others were injured.

The Ukrainian side accuses Evsyukov and his deputy Dmitry Neelov of mistreating prisoners, including failing to provide medical assistance after the explosion. Both officials are also charged with violating international humanitarian law under the article concerning the mistreatment of prisoners of war, which includes intentional killing. The SBU has notified them of suspicion regarding these crimes.

Terrorist Attack in Yelenovka

In the summer of 2022, the Russians orchestrated an explosion at the colony in Yelenovka, where Ukrainian POWs, including defenders of "Azovstal," were held.

According to statements from the Russian side, more than 50 Ukrainian soldiers died as a result of the explosion.

Intelligence reports suggest that the Russian side did not initially intend to eliminate Ukrainian prisoners of war in Yelenovka. Instead, a decision was made to execute them to cover up the traces of torture and inadequate detention conditions.

In July 2023, Ukraine was able to retrieve the bodies of the fallen defenders. As noted by the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, Dmitry Lubinets, most of the bodies have already been identified.

Previously, RBK-Ukraine conducted a detailed analysis of what was known about the terrorist attack in Yelenovka two years after the tragedy.