Reuters news agency said one of its journalists covering the war in Ukraine is missing after a hotel strike in the east of the country.
In a statement, Reuters said its six-person team was staying at the Hotel Sapphire in Kramatorsk – a city under Ukrainian rule but not far from the eastern border – on Saturday night when it was hit by “missiles”.
It said two members of the team were taken to hospital, while the other three were identified – but they “wanted full details” about the whereabouts of the sixth person.
Ukrainian authorities said it was a Russian missile, but Russia has yet to respond to the strike.
The news agency released videos showing parts of the hotel destroyed by the strike, with firefighters trying to clear the debris.
Vadym Filashkin, the governor of the Donetsk region where Kramatorsk is located, said in a Telegram post on Sunday morning that emergency services were on the scene, adding: “Debris removal and rescue operations are ongoing.”
He went on to say that other buildings and houses nearby were damaged in the strike.
The Office of the Chief Prosecutor of Ukraine wrote in a statement that the hotel was probably hit by an Iskander-M short-range missile.
It went on to say that those hospitalized were injured in various ways due to the explosion.
Kramatorsk is only 20 kilometers from the Russian-held parts of Ukraine, and has been regularly attacked, killing civilians, including famous Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina.
Russia’s military has been slowly but steadily advancing in the east in recent months, with Ukraine’s recent invasion of Russia. seen as an attempt to draw troops away from the eastern line.
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