A member of the Reuters team covering the war in Ukraine is missing, and two others have been hospitalized following a missile strike on a hotel in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine.
According to Reuters, the incident occurred on Saturday at the Hotel Sapphire, where a six-person team from the news agency was staying.
Reuters confirmed in a statement that one of their colleagues is unaccounted for, while two others are receiving medical treatment.
Three additional team members have been safely accounted for. The agency is working closely with authorities in Kramatorsk to gather more details and provide support to their staff and their families.
Vadym Filashkin, the governor of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, reported on Telegram that the strike, allegedly by Russian forces, injured two journalists, with one person still missing. Emergency responders are currently engaged in rescue operations and clearing debris at the scene.
Ukraine’s General Prosecutor’s Office stated that the missile strike occurred at 10:35 p.m. local time (1935 GMT) on Saturday. The office has launched a pre-trial investigation and indicated that the attack was likely carried out using an Iskander-M missile. As of now, the Russian Defence Ministry has not issued a response regarding the incident.
This attack highlights the ongoing dangers faced by journalists covering the conflict in Ukraine, as hostilities in the region continue to escalate.