Ukrainian emergency providers perform a search and rescue operation among the many rubble of a destroyed lodge after a strike within the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk area on August 25, 2024. | Photograph by Genya SAVILOV / AFP
KRAMATORSK, Ukraine — A security advisor working for Reuters was killed in a missile strike on a lodge in japanese Ukraine, the worldwide information company mentioned on Sunday, as Kyiv claimed additional advances into Russia’s Kursk area.
Ukraine in the meantime accused neighbouring Moscow-allied Belarus — which allowed Russia to make use of its territory as a launchpad for the February 2022 invasion — of “concentrating” troops on the border and warned it to cease “unfriendly” actions.
In one other bloody day within the two-and-a-half yr battle, Russian assaults killed at the least 18 civilians throughout Ukraine, whereas Russian officers mentioned six civilians had been additionally killed in Ukrainian strikes on Russian border areas.
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Reuters mentioned it was “devastated” by the lack of its safety advisor following the strike late on Saturday on the Resort Sapphire within the metropolis of Kramatorsk, the place six of its crew protecting the battle had been staying.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the strike.
“For all this, the world should not cease placing strain on the terrorist state,” he mentioned, referring to Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Reuters mentioned the strike left two of its journalists in hospital, one with severe accidents, whereas three others had been secure.
Ukrainian prosecutors mentioned the lodge was hit by a Russian Iskander missile at 10:35 pm (1935 GMT) on Saturday, with the strike additionally damaging the constructing subsequent door.
Kramatorsk — the final main metropolis below Ukrainian management within the Donetsk area — is commonly used as a base for help staff and overseas journalists.
Reuters mentioned the advisor who was killed had “helped preserve so a lot of our journalists secure as they lined occasions around the globe. He was an expensive colleague and buddy, and we’ll miss him terribly.”
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Ukraine claims Kursk advances
Kyiv in the meantime claimed additional advances into Russia’s Kursk area, the place it launched a counter-offensive on August 6.
Zelensky claimed Ukraine’s shock incursion into Kursk had yielded small advances — “from one to a few kilometres” — and brought management of two extra Russian settlements.
Catching Russia off-guard, Kyiv’s incursion has rattled Moscow and displaced greater than 130,000 folks, however has not slowed the Russian troops’ advance in japanese Ukraine.
‘Scary to go to mattress’
In Kramatorsk, AFP noticed authorities handing out plywood to locals for them to board up their home windows.
The town lies round 20 kilometres (13 miles) from the entrance line, with fears over the town rising as Russian forces proceed their push into japanese Ukraine.
Many locals had been heading to mattress on the time of the strike.
“I used to be watching a movie on my telephone after which… there was such a noise and the glass began smashing,” 66-year-old Natalia informed AFP, crying.
She mentioned she had already been evacuated as soon as after an analogous expertise however got here again, and now will “take into consideration” leaving once more.
“It’s scary to go to mattress,” she mentioned, her voice breaking.
One other resident, 84-year-old Vasily who lives near the lodge, was fixing plywood onto his window frames after the glass smashed in the course of the strike.
“We fear on a regular basis… and now our flip has come,” he mentioned, including: “It’s about how fortunate you get.”
Belarus warned towards ‘unfriendly actions’
Late on Sunday, Kyiv mentioned Ukrainian intelligence had discovered Belarus was increase gear and troops on the border “below the guise of workouts”.
The overseas ministry mentioned Ukrainian intelligence had additionally recorded the presence of fighters from the Wagner mercenary group — a few of whom are being hosted by Belarus after their chief’s failed insurrection final yr.
It warned Minsk to “stop unfriendly actions and withdraw forces away from Ukraine’s state border”.
In 2022, Minsk allowed Russian troops to station in Belarus for “drills” earlier than Moscow launched its invasion in February.
Ukraine additionally mentioned that army workouts within the border space pose a “international safety” menace because of the Chernobyl Nuclear Energy plant close by — web site of the world’s worst nuclear catastrophe.
On Sunday night, officers mentioned assaults on the Sumy area — from the place Kyiv had launched its shock incursion on August 6 — had killed three civilians and wounded six extra.
Within the south, officers mentioned Russian strikes that hit outdoors the town of Kherson killed three folks and wounded six, together with a one-year-old boy who was left with shrapnel accidents.
Over the border in Russia, authorities mentioned assaults on the Belgorod area killed six civilians.
Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov mentioned 5 folks had been killed in a strike on the village of Rakitnoye, in an assault that additionally wounded 13 others.
Gladkov later mentioned a person was killed by a Ukrainian drone assault within the village of Solovyevka additional south.
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