By KRAMATORSK, Ukraine — A British citizen working for Reuters has been found dead following a Russian airstrike in eastern Ukraine, the news agency confirmed Sunday.
Ryan Evans, 38, a safety advisor for Reuters, was discovered under the rubble of Hotel Sapfir in the city of Kramatorsk after a missile strike on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
Reuters stated, “We are devastated to learn that Reuters safety advisor Ryan Evans, who was with our reporting team in Ukraine, has been killed.”
Two Reuters journalists are hospitalized, with one being treated for serious injuries. Three other colleagues are safe, the agency reported.
Evans, a former British soldier, had been working with Reuters since 2022, advising journalists on safety in various locations including Ukraine, Israel, and the Paris Olympics.
Oleksandr Honcharenko, head of the Kramatorsk city military administration, earlier confirmed, “Rescuers found the body of a deceased person under the rubble.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the hotel was hit by a Russian Iskander missile, capable of striking targets up to 500 km (310 miles) away.
“An ordinary city hotel was destroyed by the Russian Iskander,” Zelenskyy stated in his Sunday evening address, adding, “It was absolutely purposeful, thought out… my condolences to family and friends.”
Reuters is seeking more information about the attack and supporting affected colleagues and their families.
