Ukraine: British media worker killed in Kramatorsk strike

The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) are deeply shocked by the deadly Russian missile attack in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on 24 August 2024. The attack claimed the life of Reuters media worker Ryan Evans and left another six people injured. The federations join their affiliate in Ukraine, the National Union of Journalists (NUJU) and the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU), in expressing their sincere condolences to the family of Ryan Evans and their full solidarity with the injured journalists and all media workers who face threats on a daily basis as they report on the Russia-Ukrainian War.

Credit: The State Emergency Service of Ukraine

A crew of six Reuters media workers were staying in the Hotel Sapphire in Kramorstosk when a Russian missile strike hit the city late at night on 24 August. The team was composed of media workers from Ukraine, Latvia, Germany, the UK and the US.

According to the Governor of the Donetsk region, four journalists and two local residents were injured. One of them, Ukrainian cameraman Ivan Lubysh-Kirdey, was seriously hurt and is still in a critical condition.

Ryan Evans, a British safety advisor, was found dead under the rubble the day after the attack. He was a 38-year-old former British soldier who had been working as a safety advisor for Reuters since 2022, counselling journalists on high-risk assignments all around the world. His mission was to help his fellow colleagues cover stories in unsafe environments, such as the Ukrainian regions affected by the full-scale Russian invasion that started in February 2022.

"The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine strongly condemns the missile attack on the hotel in Kramatorsk, which resulted in the death of Ryan Evans, a safety advisor for Reuters. Such attacks on civilian infrastructure used by journalists and humanitarian workers are a war crime and a gross violation of international law. Our thoughts are with Ryan's family and colleagues, as well as with the two other Reuters employees who were injured," said Tomilenko Sergiy, President of the National Journalists Union of Ukraine, to the IFJ-EFJ.

"We are especially concerned about the journalist in intensive care and hope for his speedy recovery. We call on the international community to increase pressure on Russia to stop these barbaric attacks on civilians and media representatives," added Tomilenko Sergiy.

"There will be only one call - investigate Russian war crimes," added Serhiy Shturkhetskyy, chair of the IMTUU.

According to the NUJU, 17 journalists and media workers have been killedwhile performing their professional duties since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

The IFJ-EFJ strongly condemn the war crimes against journalists and media workers and violations of international law committed by the Russian regime."Journalists and media workers must be protected, not targeted. They play a crucial role in documenting the truth, holding power accountable and ensuring that the public is informed. We need heightened protection for journalists and media personnel covering the Russo-Ukrainian war,"said the federations.