Meanwhile, Ukraine accused neighboring Moscow-allied Belarus – which allowed Russia to use its territory as a launching pad for the February 2022 invasion – of “concentrating” troops on the border and warned the country to stop “unfriendly” actions.
In another bloody day in the two-and-a-half-year-old war, at least 18 civilians were killed in Russian attacks across Ukraine. Russian authorities said six civilians were also killed in Ukrainian attacks on Russian border areas.
Reuters said it was “devastated” by the loss of its security adviser in the attack late Saturday at the Sapphire Hotel in the city of Kramatorsk, where six of his war-covering crew members were staying.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack.
“Despite all this, the world must not stop putting pressure on the terrorist state,” he said, referring to Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
According to Reuters, two journalists were hospitalized as a result of the attack, one with serious injuries, while three others were unharmed.
Ukrainian prosecutors said the hotel was hit by a Russian Iskander missile at 10:35 p.m. (19:35 GMT) on Saturday, with the impact also damaging the neighboring building.
Kramatorsk, the last major city in the Donetsk region under Ukrainian control, is often used as a base for aid workers and foreign journalists.
Reuters said the slain adviser “helped ensure the safety of so many of our journalists as they covered events around the world. He was a dear colleague and friend and we will miss him terribly.”
– Ukraine declares Kursk advances –
Meanwhile, Kiev acknowledged further advances into the Russian region of Kursk and launched a counteroffensive there on August 6.
Zelensky claimed that Ukraine’s surprise invasion of Kursk had led to small advances – “from one to three kilometers” – and resulted in the takeover of two other Russian settlements.
Kiev’s invasion caught Russia unprepared, shook Moscow and led to the displacement of over 130,000 people. However, it did not stop the advance of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine.
– ‘It’s scary to go to bed’ –
In Kramatorsk, AFP observed authorities distributing plywood to residents so they could board up their windows.
The town is located about 20 kilometers from the front line and fears for it are growing as Russian forces continue to advance into eastern Ukraine.
Many locals were on their way to bed at the time of the strike.
“I was watching a movie on my phone and then… there was a noise and the glass started to shatter,” 66-year-old Natalia told AFP, crying.
She said she had been evacuated once before after a similar experience, but had returned and would now “think about” leaving again.
“I’m afraid to go to bed,” she said, her voice breaking.
Another resident, 84-year-old Vasily, who lives near the hotel, was fixing plywood to his window frames after the glass was broken during the strike.
“We worry all the time … and now it’s our turn,” he said, adding: “It’s about how lucky you are.”
– Belarus warned against “unfriendly actions” –
Late Sunday, Kiev said Ukrainian intelligence had discovered that Belarus was deploying equipment and troops at the border “under the guise of exercises.”
The Foreign Ministry said Ukrainian intelligence had also registered the presence of fighters from the Wagner mercenary group – some of whom were seeking refuge in Belarus after their leader’s failed uprising last year.
Minsk was called upon to “stop unfriendly actions and withdraw its troops from the state border of Ukraine”.
In 2022, Minsk allowed Russian troops to deploy in Belarus for “exercises” before Moscow launched its invasion in February.
Ukraine also said the military exercises in the border region posed a threat to “global security” because it is close to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant – the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.
On Sunday evening, officials said three civilians were killed and six others injured in attacks on the Sumy region, from where Kyiv launched its surprise attack on August 6.
In the south, authorities said Russian attacks outside the city of Kherson left three people dead and six injured, including a one-year-old boy who suffered shrapnel injuries.
Across the Russian border, authorities said six civilians had been killed in attacks in the Belgorod region.
Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said five people were killed and 13 others injured in an attack on the village of Rakitnoye.
Gladkov later said a man had been killed by a Ukrainian drone strike in the village of Solovyevka further south.
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