“My first bloodshed for Ukraine” – Update on the war in Ukraine from August 26

The death of the Reuters crew member who was reported missing on Sunday morning after a Russian missile attack wounded several foreign journalists staying at a hotel in Kramaorsk, Donetsk region, was confirmed on Sunday evening.

Shortly after the Russian attack on Saturday evening, the world news service issued a statement saying the missile hit the Sapphire Hotel, where the six-man crew was staying.

“One of our colleagues is missing, two others were taken to hospital for treatment,” the news agency reported. The other three crew members are doing well.

Later in the day, Reuters mourned the missing member, the group’s security adviser. The slain adviser “helped protect 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.”

He was identified as Ryan Evans, a 40-year-old British national.

Shortly before, the head of the military administration of Kramatorsk had announced that the body of a man had been recovered from under the rubble, but could not reveal his identity.

Ukrainian prosecutors said a Russian Iskander missile hit the hotel at 10:35 p.m. local time on Saturday. The neighboring building was also damaged.

The US State Department confirmed that an American was among the injured, but could not identify that person either. The head of the Donetsk regional military administration said that among the injured journalists were “citizens of Ukraine, the United States, Latvia and Germany.”

However, according to Polsat News, Polish journalist Monika Andruszewska was also injured while driving near the site of the attack.

“My first personal blood, shed for Ukraine – just in time for Independence Day, after 10 years of war. ‘Iskander’ touched me deeply,” Andruszewska shared on social media.

Belarusian forces gather at the border with Ukraine

The Foreign Ministry said that under the pretext of military exercises, a large number of Belarusian soldiers and equipment had gathered near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. Former members of the Russian mercenary group Wagner were also spotted in the same area, it said.

“According to Ukrainian intelligence services, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, under the pretext of military training, are gathering a large number of military personnel, in particular special forces, as well as weapons and military equipment, including tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launchers, air defense systems and combat engineer equipment, near the northern border of Ukraine in Gomel Oblast. Mercenaries who previously served in the PMC Wagner have also been spotted there.

“Military exercises in the border area and near a nuclear facility, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, pose a threat to Ukraine’s national security as well as to global security.

“We call on Belarusian officials to avoid mistakes that could have tragic consequences for their own country under pressure from Moscow, and [for the] “The armed forces should stop enemy maneuvers and move troops away from the state border of Ukraine to a distance that exceeds the range of Belarusian weapons systems.”

Zelenskyj condemns attack on hotel and calls on West to speed up promised parcel deliveries

In his evening address on Independence Day on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack on the Sapphire Hotel and said: “Despite all this, the world must not stop putting pressure on the terrorist state.”

In his speech, Zelensky also appealed to Western partners to fulfill their arms commitments more quickly, saying: “The longer we have to wait, the more damage Russia can do.”

“We must also ensure that there are no delays in the logistics of our defense so that our warriors can act according to the needs of the front,” the President said in his speech.

“We currently have some high-profile announcements of defence packages from our partners for Ukraine that have not been fully implemented for months.

“We also have agreements on air defense that are still being implemented.” Zelensky stressed the need for timely assistance, saying: “This is especially important as the new school year approaches.

“All our discussions with the heads of state and government, all negotiations focus on this – on the speed and strength of joint decisions, on the implementation of our agreements. The world must not forget for a single day that together we are stronger than any terrorist.”

Ukraine claims two more settlements in Russia as Moscow marches on Pokrovsk

In his speech, Zelensky also boasted about the country’s newest jet-powered drone and reported that Ukrainian forces had captured two more cities during their 20-day counter-invasion in Russia’s Kursk region.

“I just spoke to the head of the Syrsky command [staff]”We have made progress in the Kursk region – from one to three kilometers. We have taken control of two more settlements. Active actions are underway in another settlement,” Zelensky noted.

According to the Institute for War Research (ISW), Russian forces in the Donetsk region continued to advance southeast of Pokrovsk on Sunday, particularly around southern and eastern Novohrodivka (southeast of Pokrovsk). Moscow’s troops now control more than half of the settlement.

Specifically, Russian military bloggers claimed that Kremlin forces had advanced to the outskirts of Marynivka (immediately south of Novohrodivka), reached a width of up to 5.45 kilometers and a depth of 1.7 kilometers north of Kalynove (southeast of Pokrovsk), and advanced east of Kalynove along a reservoir.

However, ISW analysts clarified that they had not seen any confirmation of these Russian claims.

Finally, the President again drew attention to Ukraine’s newest drone, which is powered by a jet engine.

“In particular, today we have already shown our ‘Palyanytsya’ – our new drone missile. And there will be more of our developments and weapons,” said Zelensky.

On Saturday, the President confirmed the first use of a new Ukrainian drone, which he said was named Palyanytsya.

“Only today the first successful combat use of our new weapon took place. It is a completely new class of weapon – the Ukrainian Palyanytsya missile. This is our new method of retaliation against the aggressor. The enemy was hit… I am proud of you,” Zelensky said.