Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has officially named Russian Colonel General Alexei Kim as a suspect in the missile attack on a hotel in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, which killed Reuters safety adviser Ryan Evans and wounded two other journalists. The attack took place on August 24, 2024, and has been deemed an intentional strike aimed at killing Reuters employees.
According to the SBU, Kim, who serves as a deputy chief of Russia’s General Staff, approved the missile strike targeting the Sapphire Hotel, where Reuters staff were staying. The agency stated that the attack was carried out with the intention of deliberately killing the journalists, emphasizing that Kim knew the individuals in the hotel were civilians and not involved in any combat operations. The SBU’s investigation found that Kim was aware that Reuters journalists were staying at the hotel, a civilian building located more than 20 kilometers from Russian-occupied territory in the Donetsk region.
The missile strike, executed using an Iskander-M ballistic missile, resulted in the immediate death of 38-year-old Evans, a former British soldier working as a safety adviser for Reuters. Two other Reuters journalists, Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey and Dan Peleschuk, were injured but survived the attack, with Lyubysh-Kirdey suffering serious injuries. The attack also caused significant damage to the hotel, and at least 15 other people were treated for smoke inhalation.
The SBU has named Kim as a suspect in violation of international law, specifically for waging an aggressive war and violating the laws and customs of war. Kim has yet to respond to the allegations, and Russia’s defense ministry has not commented on the SBU’s findings.
Reuters, in response to the SBU’s statement, reiterated the importance of safe and independent journalism, calling for further information on the attack and stressing that it is crucial for journalists to be able to report without fear.
