Kyiv: Ryan Evans, a former British soldier and Reuterian*, was killed in a suspected Russian missile attack on a hotel in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. The strike occurred at the Hotel Sapphire on Saturday night, where Mr. Evans was staying with five other Reuters employees covering the conflict.
Reuters expressed deep sorrow, stating, “We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to Ryan’s family and loved ones. Ryan has helped so many of our journalists cover events worldwide; we will miss him terribly.” Two other Reuters journalists were injured, one seriously.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a Russian Iskander missile hit the hotel in a “deliberate” attack. He said, “A Russian Iskander missile destroyed a regular city hotel. Deliberately. Calculated. Seven people were injured, and one person lost their life.” The Russian Defence Ministry has not commented.
Mr. Evans joined Reuters in 2022, advising journalists on safety in conflict zones, including Ukraine and Israel. Before this, he worked as an operations manager for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in Libya.
The Donetsk regional prosecutor’s office reported the recovery of a British citizen’s body from the rubble. Four other foreign journalists suffered injuries, including blast injuries, a brain injury, and concussions. The US State Department confirmed that an American was among the injured and is seeking more information from local authorities.
The attack on the Hotel Sapphire was part of a series of Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine’s northern, eastern, and southern regions, which resulted in at least 37 injuries, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Local officials in Kramatorsk, a hub for humanitarian workers and journalists, reported two additional injuries in nearby homes. In Sumy, a missile strike killed one person and injured 16 others, including three children. In the Kharkiv region, 13 people were injured, including a 4-year-old child.
President Zelensky also noted that Ukrainian forces advanced further into Russia’s Kursk region, gaining control of additional settlements.
*Reuterian is a newly coined term specifically created to describe individuals who have a direct affiliation with Reuters, often in a professional capacity. This includes employees, contractors, or anyone closely associated with the news agency.
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