Russia strikes prison in Ukraine, killing 16 and wounding dozens

A Russian airstrike on a prison in a frontline region in southeastern Ukraine has killed 16 people and wounded more than 30 others, according to Ukrainian officials.

The overnight attack in Zaporizhzhia also damaged surrounding homes, regional leader Ivan Fedorov said. Russian forces launched eight strikes using high-explosive aerial glide bombs, he added.

The Ukrainian president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, condemned the strikes as "another war crime" committed by Russia.

Zaporizhzhia is one of four eastern regions in Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed since 2022, although the region is largely under Ukrainian control.

Ivan Fedorov said buildings at one of Zaporizhzhia's prisons were destroyed, without detailing where in the region they were.

Russian forces have frequently targeted Zaporizhzhia since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ukraine's human rights commissioner said attacking a prison was a gross violation of humanitarian law as people in detention did not lose their right to life and protection.