Ukraine's Security Service identifies Russian general who ordered attack on Kramatorsk that killed Reuters journalist – photo

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has collected evidence against a Russian general who organised a missile attack on the Sapfir (Sapphire) Hotel in Kramatorsk, where a film crew of the international news agency Reuters was staying on 24 August 2024.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine; Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine

Details: A Reuters journalist was killed in the Russian attack and five of his colleagues sustained injuries.

According to the SSU investigators, the person responsible for this air attack is Russian Colonel General Alexei Kim who holds the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine clarified that according to the temporary staffing schedule, he is currently the Chief of Staff, Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces Group of the Russian Armed Forces and the Head of the Centre for the Organisation of Fire and Nuclear Destruction at the Military Command of the Russian Armed Forces.

Kim signed the directive and gave the combat order to fire on the hotel, where only civilians were staying.

To carry out the attack, Kim engaged one of the missile units under his command.

In accordance with his order, the unit hit the hotel with an Iskander-M ballistic missile.

The strike destroyed the hotel building, and five civilians sustained injuries of varying severity in addition to the Reuters journalists.

Based on the evidence collected, SSU investigators served Colonel-General Kim with a notice of suspicion in absentia under three articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Art. 28.2, Art. 437.2 (waging the war of aggression), and Art. 438.2 (violation of the laws and customs of war).

The SSU continues to work to bring the offender to justice.

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