American aid worker killed while evacuating civilians in Ukraine

KYIV — Pete Reed, an American unpaid medic and laminitis of nan NGO Global Response Medicine, was killed while helping to evacuate civilians successful nan eastbound Ukrainian metropolis of Bakhmut.

Reed, a erstwhile U.S. Marine, died connected Thursday successful nan besieged metropolis successful nan Donetsk region of nan country, GRM said precocious Friday.

“In January, Pete stepped distant from GRM to activity pinch Global Outreach Doctors connected their Ukraine ngo and was killed while rendering aid,” nan NGO said. “Pete was nan bedrock of GRM, serving arsenic Board President for 4 years,” it said.

Bakhmut has been 1 of nan awesome basking spots during Russia’s penetration of Ukraine. In nan ongoing attempts to prehend nan city, Moscow has been throwing thousands of troops astatine nan Ukrainian positions successful Bakhmut successful strategies that person gained nan sanction “meat waves.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited nan city in December, calling it nan “hottest spot” successful nan war.

“Pete was conscionable 33 years old, but lived a life successful work of others, first arsenic a dressed up U.S. Marine and past successful humanitarian aid,” GRM said. “We afloat support Pete’s family, friends, and colleagues during this devastating time.”

Global Outreach Doctors also confirmed the decease of Reed, who was nan organization’s Ukraine Country director. “Pete was actively aiding successful nan removal of Ukrainian civilians erstwhile his removal conveyance was deed pinch a reported rocket successful Bakhmut, Ukraine, connected Feb. 2,” nan group said successful a statement.

Reed’s wife, Alex Kay Potter, wrote connected Instagram that her hubby apparently died redeeming different squad member’s life, CNN reported. “He was evacuating civilians and responding to those wounded erstwhile his ambulance was shelled,” her station said, according to nan CNN report.

“Pete Reed, a unpaid medic, was killed by shelling successful Bakhmut, Ukraine, yesterday while trying to evacuate civilians. One of nan astir selfless group I’ve ever met,” documentary photographer Cengiz Yar wrote successful a tweet.

The aforesaid time Reed was killed, 2 different overseas unpaid doctors were injured successful a bombing successful Bakhmut. The medics — Norwegians Sander Sørsveen Trelvik and Simon Johnsen — were moving for Frontline Doctors. They were taken to a infirmary successful Dnipro for surgery.

They some are recovering and preparing to return to Norway connected Tuesday, Grethe Sørsveen, Sander’s mother, wrote connected Facebook.