Russia hits hotel in Kramatorsk, injuring journalists from Ukraine, U.S., UK, Poland

Vadym Filashkin, the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, reported the information on the morning of August 25.

"Russians attacked Kramatorsk in the middle of the night. One of their targets was a hotel in the city. We know of two injured, and another person is still under the rubble. All three victims are journalists - citizens of Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom," he wrote.

As of 14:33, there are 6 wounded, one in serious condition. The search and rescue operation is ongoing, according to the head of the Kramatorsk City Military Administration.

In addition to the hotel Sapfir, a nearby high-rise building was also damaged. Authorities, police, and rescuers are on the scene, with debris removal and rescue operations underway.

According to the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, Russian troops likely fired an Iskander-M missile at Kramatorsk at 22:35. The rocket struck a residential neighborhood, injuring two foreign journalists, aged 38 and 40, at a destroyed local hotel. They sustained mine-blast trauma, brain contusions, a broken leg, contusions, and cut wounds. Emergency medical care was provided to the victims.

Another colleague of the injured journalists is believed to be trapped under the rubble. The hotel and nearby residential buildings were at the center of the attack. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with rescuers and law enforcement officers working on the scene.

A pre-trial investigation into the violation of the laws and customs of war (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) has been initiated under the procedural control of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office.

It was later revealed that Monika Andruszewska, a Polish journalist and volunteer, was also injured. She shared this information on Facebook on the morning of August 25.

Andruszewska said that this was her first personal experience with bloodshed related to Ukraine, occurring on Independence Day.

"After 10 years of war, an Iskander missile fell nearby. It slightly damaged my tattoo on my right arm, which features cornflowers intertwined with ears of wheat in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. I recently received the Stand with Ukraine Award in Warsaw. Is this symbolic? This photo shows a person driving through Kramatorsk in the evening, and the second one illustrates the damage to their car’s interior,” she wrote.

Andruszewska noted that anyone could find themselves in this situation anywhere in Ukraine, where Russian missiles strike.

"These attacks don’t only happen along the front line. They can hit cities in the Donetsk region where, despite Russia's attacks, life continues: coffee shops and beauty salons remain open, and children play in playgrounds," she added.

“You simply drive around the city. You live your life and breathe. That’s enough for the Russians to target you with an Iskander missile next to the road or hit a civilian object 20 meters away. I’ll treat the wounds, restore the tattoo, and remove the glass from my hair and hand. The car is damaged, but I’ll replace the windows, it’s not the first time I’ve had to do this. Meanwhile, I continue to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” she wrote.

Andruszewska explained that she helps the Ukrainian Armed Forces to protect others from similar attacks.

“Well, I’ve had various types of artillery land close to me and my cars, but this is the first time an Iskander has hit. What’s next, a nuclear bomb? I still have four dogs on the front line looking for homes,” Andruszewska added.

• On Saturday, August 24, as a result of shelling by the Russian military of Kherson and the district, two civilians were killed and wounded, including a child born in 2023.