Killing of prisoners of war: Russia and Ukraine blame each other

 More than 50 Ukrainian prisoners in a Russian prison have been killed in a missile attack, which Moscow blamed on Ukraine.

According to the news agency AFP, the Russian Minister of Defense has accused that the attack on the Ukrainian prisoners of war in the prison of Donetsk province occupied by Russia was carried out by Ukraine with the missiles supplied by the United States.

Among the dead were prisoners of war who had surrendered after weeks of resisting Russian attacks in the southern city of Mariupol.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has blamed Russia for the missile attack.

Zelensky said that Russia deliberately committed war crimes and mass murders of Ukrainian soldiers.

The Ukrainian president has urged the international community, especially the United States, to officially declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism.

Russia's Defense Ministry said eight prison staff were injured in the attack, in addition to the prisoners of war, but Russian-backed separatist leader Denis Pushlin claimed that none of the 193 prisoners held at the prison were foreigners. was not.

The news agency Reuters has quoted a US official as saying that the US does not have any definitive information about the attack on the prison, but has asked to be cautious about Russia's accusations.

On the other hand, in the first high-level direct contact between the US and Russia since the Ukraine war, US Secretary of State Antony Blanken warned his Russian counterpart that the annexation of more Ukrainian territories will not be recognized.

Speaking to reporters, the US Secretary of State said that it was very important that Russia hear directly from us that they would not only accept the occupation of more territory, but that Russia would have to pay for it in the form of more sanctions.

Referring to the telephone conversation between the two leaders, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informed his American counterpart that all the goals of the "special military operation" should be achieved and that the Western countries would not intervene in Ukraine. Arms shipments to the country are prolonging the conflict and increasing casualties.

It should be noted that last week a historic agreement on grain exports was reached between Russia and Ukraine, under which it was decided to reopen Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea.