Ukrainian emergency companies 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 stated 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 12 months struggle, Russian assaults killed not less than 18 civilians throughout Ukraine, whereas Russian officers stated six civilians have been additionally killed in Ukrainian strikes on Russian border areas.
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Reuters stated it was “devastated” by the lack of its safety advisor following the strike late on Saturday on the Lodge Sapphire within the metropolis of Kramatorsk, the place six of its crew masking the struggle have been staying.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the strike.
“For all this, the world should not cease placing strain on the terrorist state,” he stated, referring to Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Reuters stated the strike left two of its journalists in hospital, one with severe accidents, whereas three others have been protected.
Ukrainian prosecutors stated 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 beneath Ukrainian management within the Donetsk area — is commonly used as a base for support employees and international journalists.
Reuters stated the advisor who was killed had “helped hold so a lot of our journalists protected as they coated occasions world wide. He was an expensive colleague and good friend, and we are going to 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.
Town lies round 20 kilometres (13 miles) from the entrance line, with fears over town rising as Russian forces proceed their push into japanese Ukraine.
Many locals have 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 advised AFP, crying.
She stated 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 stated, 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 throughout the strike.
“We fear on a regular basis… and now our flip has come,” he stated, including: “It’s about how fortunate you get.”
Belarus warned towards ‘unfriendly actions’
Late on Sunday, Kyiv stated Ukrainian intelligence had discovered Belarus was build up gear and troops on the border “beneath the guise of workout routines”.
The international ministry stated 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 rebel final 12 months.
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 stated that navy workout routines within the border space pose a “international safety” risk because of the Chernobyl Nuclear Energy plant close by — website of the world’s worst nuclear catastrophe.
On Sunday night, officers stated 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 stated Russian strikes that hit exterior 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 stated assaults on the Belgorod area killed six civilians.
Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated 5 folks have been killed in a strike on the village of Rakitnoye, in an assault that additionally wounded 13 others.
Gladkov later stated a person was killed by a Ukrainian drone assault within the village of Solovyevka additional south.
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