British soldier killed in Russian missile strike pictured for first time | World | News
A former British soldier has been pictured for the first time after being killed in a Russian missile attack on a hotel in Ukraine.
38-year-old Ryan Evans, a security adviser for Reuter News Agency was staying at the Hotel Sapphire in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk when it was hit on Saturday night.
He was part of a six-person team advising the agency on threats whilst covering the conflict in the country.
In a statement the agency said they were “devastated” to learn of his death and the injuries to two of its journalist, one of whom is in a serious condition.
The three other members of the team were accounted for safely, the news agency confirmed.
The statement continued: “”We are urgently seeking more information about the attack, including by working with the authorities in Kramatorsk, and we are supporting our colleagues and their families.
“We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to Ryan’s family and loved ones. Ryan has helped so many of our journalists cover events around the world; we will miss him terribly.”
Evans, a former British soldier, had been working with Reuters since 2022 and advised its journalists on safety around the world including in Ukraine, Israel and at the Paris Olympics.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky labelled the attack as “deliberate”. The Russian Ministry of Defence is yet to comment publicly on the incident.
Mr Zelensky said: “A regular city hotel was destroyed by a Russian Iskander missile. Deliberately. Calculated. Seven people were injured, and one person lost their life. My deepest condolences to the families and loved ones.”
The Telegram account of the Donetsk regional prosecutor’s office confirmed that four foreign journalists had suffered blast injuries whilst the US State Department confirmed that one of those hurt was an American.
The missile strike was part of a wider bombardment as Russian forces continue their push westwards in the Donetsk area, in the direction of the cities of Pokrovsk, Toretsk and Chasiv Yar.
Zelenskyy has criticised the UK, US and France for the protracted delivery of artillery and anti-aircraft defences that it believes will help it halt the Russian advance and intercept missiles such as the one that hit the hotel.
North of Donetsk, Ukrainian forces continue to push eastwards into Russian territory in the Kursk region. The surprise invasion, the first suffered by Russia since Germany invaded in 1941, is seen partly as an attempt by Ukraine to draw forces away from Donetsk and to limit their ability to carry out attacks such as the one that killed Mr Evans.
