United States accuses Russia of fabricating evidence in prison deaths to blame Ukraine

In order to blame Ukraine, Russia is working to fabricate evidence of the recent mass killing of Ukrainian prisoners as per US officials.

Trading blame for last week’s deadly strike on a prison housing prisoners of war in a separatist region of eastern Ukraine, Russia accused Kyiv of carrying out a strike on its own captured fighters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hit back at Russia by saying it is trying to cover up a deliberate massacre.

Claiming to have evidence that local Kremlin-backed separatists colluded with the Russian FSB, the Ukrainian defence ministry said they were planning to mine the barrack but their plans were spoiled by a fire that spread rapidly.

Ahead of the possible visits by outside investigators, Russia will doctor the scene at the prison in Kremlin-controlled Olenivka according to US intelligence officials.

Without sharing the evidence, the official told AFP that "We anticipate that Russian officials will try to frame (Ukraine's military)... in anticipation of journalists and potential investigators visiting the site of the attack."

In response to requests from Russia and Ukraine to investigate the killings at the prison, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is appointing a fact-finding mission.

With evidence of summary executions and frequent aerial bombing or shelling of civilians, Russia has carried out numerous attacks on civilians in its invasion of Ukraine but has either denied committing atrocities or blamed them on Kyiv.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

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