“The convicts were instructed, but you can’t be prepared for this”: Russian airstrike on a colony in Zaporizhzhia

On the night of July 29, the Russian army attacked Bilenkivska Correctional Colony No. 99 in Zaporizhzhia. As a result of the shelling, 16 people died, 44 were hospitalized, and another 50 wounded received assistance on the spot. Despite the previous instructions, as the deputy head of the institution said, it is impossible to be prepared for such an attack.

Suspilny correspondents learned the details of the attack and eyewitness accounts.

Bilenkivska Correctional Colony No. 99 serves sentences for serious and especially serious crimes. The deputy head of the institution, Dmytro Azarov, said:

“Two guided bombs hit the dining room, one guided bomb hit the convicts’ living quarters, where most of the dead were. The employees and medical personnel provided assistance until the ambulances arrived. Well, not much, because the ambulances simply arrived instantly, there were a lot of them working, dozens of ambulances delivered convicts to hospitals in Zaporizhzhia.”

According to Dmytro Azarov, the issue of conducting evacuation actions to remove convicts is currently being considered.

In the Zaporizhzhia region, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, all institutions have been evacuated, except for Bilenkivska Correctional Colony No. 99. This was stated by the head of the public association “Protection of Prisoners of Ukraine” Oleg Tsviliy. He also stressed that the Russians will definitely be held responsible for their actions, but it is also necessary to identify those responsible among those who could have prevented the victims.

Deputy head of the institution Dmytro Azarov also emphasized:

“The convicts were instructed, but, of course, one cannot be prepared for this. However, everyone knew a clear plan of action. Therefore, all the convicts immediately took their positions in the shelters, perhaps because of this the number of dead and wounded decreased significantly. The convicts did not panic, did not disorganize the work of the institution, acted in a coordinated manner, and followed the instructions of the administration.”