Russian Forces Fired Missile that Killed Reuters Safety Adviser, According to Ukraine

By Tom Balmforth and Yuliia Dysa

KYIV – Ukrainian intelligence sources have revealed that Russian forces in the Rostov region were responsible for the missile strike that killed Ryan Evans, a safety adviser for Reuters, and injured two journalists from the agency. The attack occurred on August 24 when a missile struck the Sapphire Hotel in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine.

According to details provided by Ukraine’s intelligence services, the missile was launched from an area near Taganrog, a Russian city along the Sea of Azov, close to the Ukrainian border. They cited the presence of two Russian military units near the launch site at the time of the attack: the 1st Guards Rocket Brigade of the 49th Army and the 107th Guards Rocket Brigade of the 35th Army. Additionally, the Ukrainian military’s general staff mentioned the possible involvement of a third unit, the 47th Rocket Brigade of the 8th Army.

The Ukrainian general staff indicated that an Iskander 9M723 ballistic missile was fired around 10:28 PM local time and hit the hotel where the Reuters team was staying just seven minutes later. They noted the missile’s precision, which allows it to strike within 30 meters of its intended target. However, they stated they had no evidence that the Sapphire Hotel was intentionally selected as a target.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov referred questions about the missile strike to the armed forces, insisting that the military only strikes targets linked to military infrastructure. The Russian defense ministry did not respond to inquiries regarding the incident.

Both the Ukrainian intelligence services and the military did not clarify how they identified the launch site or determine which specific brigade was involved in the attack. Attempts by Reuters to reach out to the units mentioned resulted in unreturned communications or responses that denied involvement.

After the attack, images showed significant damage to Evans’ room on the hotel’s first floor, which partially collapsed, and six other rooms were severely affected. Ryan Evans, a 38-year-old former British soldier, was killed instantly, while other journalists in the hotel, including videographer Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey, sustained serious injuries.

A local forensic laboratory analyzed images of missile debris from the attack and concluded that it was likely a Russian Iskander-M missile, a type of weapon not possessed by Ukraine. The investigation by the Donetsk region prosecutor’s office focused on whether the hotel had been deliberately targeted, but specifics on that issue remain unclear.

In a comment made shortly after the incident, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry suggested, without evidence, that Evans had connections to MI6, Britain’s foreign intelligence agency, which was dismissed by Reuters as factually incorrect.

The missile struck the hotel shortly after a warning was issued on social media about an incoming missile threat. Ukrainian air force radars confirmed the detection of a missile that night, appearing to be an Iskander-M launched from the Rostov region, targeting an area well within its range.

Since the onset of the conflict, the Sapphire Hotel had largely served as accommodation for journalists, rather than military personnel. No other guests were present at the hotel during the strike, apart from a single watchman. Injuries were also reported among local civilians nearby the hotel as a result of the strike.

In a separate incident, Polish journalist Monika Andruszewska was reported to have suffered minor injuries while in a car close to the hotel during the missile strike.