New Book on the Tragedy of Ukrainian POWs
A new book titled «Olenivka. Crime. Memory. Broken System» was presented in Kyiv, highlighting the horrific events related to Russian war crimes that claimed the lives of many defenders of Mariupol.
According to reports, this publication was created by MIPL, the memory platform «Memorial», and The Ukrainians Publishing.
The preface was written by the commander of the National Guard of Ukraine «Azov», Denys Prokopenko.
The book consists of several parts, allowing readers to understand not only the crime itself but also the context in which it occurred. Editor Vera Kuryko emphasized that the goal was to create a clear yet restrained narrative about this tragedy.
On the night of July 29, 2022, an explosion occurred in a prison in Olenivka, resulting in the deaths of at least 47 Ukrainian POWs who had been held there after defending Mariupol.
The first part of the book reconstructs events leading up to the explosion and includes testimonies from survivors in «Barrack 200».
The second section contains stories of the deceased, restoring their names and voices, as highlighted by co-founder of «Memorial», Gayane Avakyan.
«Everyone mentioned here deserves remembrance and justice. It is crucial to document these stories to bring the truth to society,» she noted.
The third part analyzes the inaction of the international justice system regarding Russian war crimes.
As of now, Russia has not been held accountable for any crimes, and the mass killing in Olenivka has not even been investigated.
The final section focuses on those still held captive by Russia, where their lives remain at risk. MIPL chairwoman Tetiana Katrychenko stated that international humanitarian law is systematically violated.
The presentation gathered over a hundred attendees, including former POWs and families of the deceased.
