Ukraine Charges Russian General in Journalist's Death

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has charged Russian Colonel General Alexei Kim with ordering a ballistic missile strike on the Sapphire Hotel in Kramatorsk, which resulted in the death of a Reuters journalist and injuries to five others, including civilians. The attack, carried out on August 24, 2024, violated international humanitarian law as the hotel was occupied solely by civilians. The SBU stated that Kim, serving as Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, signed the directive for the strike, which was executed by a subordinate missile unit using an Iskander-M missile. Ukrainian prosecutors are overseeing the efforts to hold Kim accountable, citing multiple articles of the Ukrainian Criminal Code related to aggression and war crimes. This incident is part of Ukraine's broader strategy to pursue justice against Russian military leaders for targeting civilian infrastructure. The SBU emphasized its commitment to finding and punishing every Russian war criminal involved in such attacks.