Remembering Wrexham man killed in Ukraine

Last respects were paid to a man who was killed while working as a media security advisor in Ukraine.

Ryan Evans, 38, from Wrexham, was with a Reuters news team in the east of the country when the hotel they were staying in hit by a rocket on Saturday.

Mr Evans attended Ysgol Morgan Llwyd School before joining the Army and serving in the Royal Welsh Regiment.

His family described him as a “gentle giant” who always wanted to help others.

Mr Evans was one of six Reuters staff staying at the Sapphire hotel in Kramatorsk when it was hit. The hotel is under Ukrainian control but is close to the front line.

Ukrainian authorities said the hotel was hit by a Russian missile. Russia did not comment.

His body was recovered from the rubble on Sunday after a 19-hour search.

His wife Anne Evans wrote on Facebook that his entire family would miss him, including his four children, the youngest of whom is just 18 months old.

“I can hardly put into words how much this man meant to me, how much I adored him with every fiber of my being.

“He was my best friend and my soul mate, my everything,” she said.

She added that he was a “knight in battered armor” because “he once wore shining armor, but he had been through more battles than I can count.”

“He was such a gentle giant. If anyone ever needed anything, he was there. He always put others first and himself second,” she added.

Staff at Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, a Welsh-speaking school in Wrexham, also expressed their thanks.

Headteacher Catrin Pritchard said: “I would like to express my sincere condolences to Ryan’s family and friends.

“Although Ryan left Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, several members of staff still remember him fondly as a very likeable person with a big heart.”

After leaving school, Mr Evans joined the Royal Welsh, served in Iraq and reached the rank of Corporal.

He later trained as a bodyguard and accompanied journalists and aid workers into hostile environments.

Chris Hunter, a bomb disposal expert and colleague of Mr Evans, described him as a “born warrior”.

“He was extraordinary, a really lovely guy – tough, strong and fierce, but also kind and funny,” he said, adding that Evans' “courage and dedication were second to none.”

“He cared deeply about those around him and was committed to making the world a safer place.

“Despite his imposing presence, he treated everyone with kindness and respect.

“His loss leaves a void that cannot be filled,” Mr Hunter added.

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office wrote in a statement that the hotel was probably hit by a Russian Iskander-M short-range missile.

Kramatorsk is located only about 20 kilometers from the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine and is regularly subjected to attacks in which civilians are killed.

A spokesman for the Reuters news agency said: “We are devastated to learn that Reuters security adviser Ryan Evans, who was with our team of reporters in Ukraine, has been killed.”

“Two of our journalists are in hospital, one is being treated for serious injuries. Three other colleagues are doing well.”

The spokesman added that the news agency was “urgently seeking further information about the attack.”

“We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to Ryan’s family and loved ones.

“Ryan helped so many of our journalists cover events around the world. He will be terribly missed,” they added.