Sergei Yevsyukov, the former head of the notorious Olenivka Prison in Donetsk, was killed on Monday when his car exploded. His wife was severely injured in the attack and reportedly lost a leg.
The explosion occurred in Olenivka, a town controlled by Russian forces. Ukrainian media reported that the bomb, planted under Yevsyukov’s car, was equivalent to 100 grams of TNT. Russian investigators confirmed two people were injured but did not officially name Yevsyukov. However, pro-Kremlin media, including the Mash Telegram channel, identified him as the victim.
Sergey Yevsyukov, a key figure implicated in war crimes during Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, was killed in a car bomb explosion in occupied Donetsk. Yevsyukov was allegedly involved in covering up the torture and executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war who had surrendered… pic.twitter.com/PJ3JNP5c80
— Huginn & Muninn Intelligence (@HM_Int3lligence) December 9, 2024
Yevsyukov was the warden of Olenivka Prison in July 2022, when a blast killed over 50 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) and injured more than 130.
Russia accuses Ukraine of hitting the prison with U.S.-supplied HIMARS missiles, while Ukraine blamed Russia for deliberately targeting the facility to hide evidence of torture. A United Nations investigation dismissed Russia’s claims, finding no proof of a missile strike and criticizing Russia for denying access to investigators.
Ukrainian authorities had charged Yevsyukov in 2023 with premeditated murder and mistreatment of POWs. In July 2024, additional charges were brought against him for failing to provide medical care to detained Ukrainian soldiers.
Yevsyukov’s killing is the latest in a string of targeted attacks against Russian officials and military personnel in occupied Ukrainian territories. Similar incidents include the recent assassination of senior Russian naval officer Valery Trankovsky in Crimea and a car bomb attack on a Russian-installed official at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the car bombing, Ukrainian officials often attribute such attacks to resistance forces. Russian officials, meanwhile, accuse Ukraine’s intelligence services of orchestrating the killings.
