Ukraine war: Russia says 40 Ukrainian prisoners killed in blast

Russia's defence ministry says 40 Ukrainian prisoners-of-war have been killed by Ukrainian shelling of a prison in separatist-held Donetsk.

Officials alleged that 75 others had been injured in a rocket strike on the prison camp in Olenivka. The BBC cannot independently verify this claim.

Ukraine's military denied carrying out the strike and instead accused Russia of shelling the prison.

It said Moscow was seeking to cover up evidence of torture at the site.

"The Russian occupants pursued their criminal goals, thus, to accuse Ukraine of committing 'war crimes', and to hide the torture of prisoners and shootings committed there by the orders of the occupation administration and the command of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," Ukraine's General Staff said. read more