Justice Ministry says Russian strike on prison that killed 16 was deliberate, all convicts evacuated
Following a "deliberate" Russian air strike that killed 16, all remaining convicts have been evacuated from a prison in Bilenke, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the Justice Ministry announced on July 30 after visiting the site.
"This is a terrorist act, a deliberate attack on a penitentiary institution, which cannot be justified by any military goals. We have already appealed to international organizations to come to the scene, and have recorded this fact of deliberate terrorism. Shelling of institutions where people are held is a direct violation of international humanitarian law," Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko said.
A Russian air strike against the prison late on July 28 killed 16 convicts and injured nearly a hundred more. Of those injured, Forty-four people were hospitalized, and over 50 were provided medical assistance at the scene.
All of the prison's convicts were evacuated from the facility immediately after the attack, Halushchenko said.
"The colony has bomb shelters, and during air raids, the convicts go down there. But this time, unfortunately, due to the nature of the strike, it was impossible to use the shelter. We are currently studying all the circumstances, including how exactly this strike was carried out," he said.
The prison staff had a coordinated response at the time of the Russian attack, "which prevented even more victims," Deputy Justice Minister Yevhen Pikalov said.
The Justice Ministry visited the site of the Russian attack and discussed next steps for restoring the site alongside Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov.
Bilenke is located around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Zaporizhzhia and was hit by four bombs at around 11:30 p.m. on July 28, according to the State Criminal-Executive Service.
Russia regularly strikes civilian targets throughout the country as it continues to wage its war against Ukraine.
