Russian Strikes On Ukrainian Hotels Silencing The Press
A damaged five-star Kharkiv Palace hotel after Russian missile attack on December 31, 2023, in ... More Kharkiv, Ukraine. As a result of the night attack, the building of the five-star Kharkiv Palace hotel was damaged, as well as cars parked on the street nearby. (Photo credit: Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
In May 2025, Reporters without Borders (RSF) and Truth Hounds, both non-governmental organizations, published a report on the deliberate attacks on journalists by the Kremlin, 'Last check-in: The Russian strikes on Ukrainian hotels silencing the press.' As the report outlines, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, both Ukrainian and foreign journalists have come under Russian fire, even in their hotels.
As the research shows, between February 24, 2022 and March 15, 2025, Russia conducted 31 strikes on 25 Ukrainian hotels, mostly in regions near the front line, including Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipro, Odessa, and Kyiv, the capital. As the report suggests, only one of these hotels was being used for military purposes, and all others were civilian objects. In total, 25 journalists and media professionals have found themselves under these hotel bombings. At least seven have been injured. One person, Reuters' safety advisor Ryan Evans, was killed during a strike on his hotel in August 2024 in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine.
As the report concludes, Russian strikes on civilian hotels in Ukraine are clearly aimed at obstructing independent war coverage. It further explains that, as the war progressed, such attacks have multiplied with eight in 2022, five in 2023, 14 in 2024, and four in the first two months of 2025. The report further identified emerging trends from such attacks, including that the majority of the attacks (or 27 out of 31) took place near the battle front, namely, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Odessa, and Dnipro. Twenty-three attacks occurred at night when hotels are most occupied. Furthermore, at least 15 strikes were conducted with missiles launched from 9K720 Iskander systems, known for their precision. Some have a margin of error of just around 20 meters.
These attacks have had a profound effect on the working conditions and working practices of journalists and the media more broadly. As the report indicates, since 2023, 64% of Ukrainian journalists and 43 % of foreign correspondents have avoided staying in hotels near the battle front. Around 13% of all surveyed journalists had to reduce or suspend assignments in these regions, and 64 % of Ukrainian and international journalists report logistical obstacles to their reporting due to difficulty accessing safe accommodation. Journalists in the affected regions now use unmarked vehicles, do not use the 'press' signs on bulletproof vests, and turn off geolocation to avoid being seen. Furthermore, 44% of journalists reported having suffered from stress or psychological trauma following the hotel attacks.
The deliberate attacks on journalists follow a well-established disinformation narrative disseminated by several actors, including the Russian Ministry of Defense and pro-Kremlin Telegram channels. This disinformation narrative presents journalists as mercenaries and hotels as military bases. However, as the report makes it clear, of the 25 hotels, 24 were civilian facilities.
The report explains how this disinformation strategy has led to the killing of Ryan Evans, Reuters' safety advisor. On August 24, 2024, a Russian strike hit the Sapphire Hotel in Kramatorsk, killing Ryan Evans and injuring two of his journalist colleagues, Dan Peleschuk, an American citizen, and Ivan Liubysh-Kyrdey, a Ukrainian citizen. The report confirmed that no military personnel were present in the hotel. Russia accused Ryan of being a 'former MI6 agent,' allegations which have been denied by the family and employers.
Attacks on journalists are part of Russia's systematic weaponization of information during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and aim to control the narratives around Russia's war against Ukraine. All such attacks must be addressed, including with legal avenues for justice and accountability. Journalists and news media benefit from the general protections under international humanitarian law enjoyed by civilians and civilian objects, and cannot be considered as military objectives, unless they make an effective contribution to military action. Russia's attacks on journalists can amount to war crimes and must be investigated and prosecuted as such. The report makes several recommendations, including for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Ukrainian Prosecutor General to prioritize investigations into attacks on journalists and civilians and treat them as a war crime. It further calls upon authorities globally to prioritize prosecuting crimes against journalists and media workers using all legal means available, including the principle of universal jurisdiction.
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