A former head of a notorious prison in Russian-occupied Ukraine, Sergei Yevsyukov, 49, has reportedly been killed in a car blast in Donetsk. The incident is seen as part of a growing series of targeted attacks on pro-Kremlin figures in occupied territories.
Ukrainian media report that an explosive device equivalent to approximately 100g of TNT was planted under Yevsyukov’s car, causing the fatal blast. Yevsyukov previously served as the chief of Olenivka Prison, where dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war perished in a missile strike in July 2022. While Russia blamed Ukraine for the prison attack, Kyiv accused Moscow of targeting the site to eliminate evidence of alleged torture and war crimes.
The explosion occurred near Donetsk city center on Monday. Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation but have not officially confirmed the identities of those involved. They reported that two local residents were injured in the blast. Ukrainian bloggers claim Yevsyukov’s wife was critically injured, losing a leg in the attack.
Footage from the scene shows a burned-out white SUV on a main street in Donetsk. The Russian Investigations Committee stated they are conducting a detailed examination of the site and carrying out investigative measures.
Yevsyukov’s death is the latest in a string of high-profile attacks targeting Russian officials, military figures, and pro-Kremlin individuals in occupied Ukrainian territories and Russia.
In November, a senior naval officer, Valery Trankovsky, accused of war crimes by Ukraine, was killed in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Ukrainian intelligence reportedly orchestrated the assassination. Similarly, in October, Ukraine claimed responsibility for a car bombing that killed an official at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. In April, a car explosion in the Luhansk region killed a Moscow-appointed government official.
Donetsk city and parts of the broader region have been under partial Russian control since 2014, following their seizure by Russian-backed forces. The area has been a hotspot for intense fighting throughout the nearly three-year-long war.
