American aid worker killed in Ukraine as Zelenskyy vows to defend Bakhmut amid ongoing war

A US Marine veteran serving as an American volunteer aid worker in Ukraine, Pete Reed, was killed on Friday on the Bakhmut [known to Russians as Artyomovsk] Kremennaya line in Donetsk oblast where a fierce battle is taking place in the eastern Donbass region. Reed was killed while he was aiding civilians, a statement from Global Response Medicine, the humanitarian aid group read. 

US Marine Corps veteran and humanitarian worker Reed was listed as “killed while rendering aid” on a mission by another organization. It is learned that he was helping injured Ukrainians when he died. Reed hailed from the US state of New Jersey and had also served as a medic in Iraq, saving lives of the injured civilian against ISIS attacks. He was mentioned as the Ukraine country director on the Global Outreach Doctors’ website. His death was officially confirmed by a US State Department spokesperson when reached for a statement by American broadcasters. Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday also vowed to defend war ravaged Bakhmut "for as long as we can," as a delegation from the European Union arrived in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to pledge more support and aid. 

Reed died while saving another team member’s life

In a detailed post on Instagram, Reed's wife, Alex Kay Potter, said that he died saving another team member’s life.“He was evacuating civilians and responding to those wounded when his ambulance was shelled. He died doing what he was great at, what gave him life, and what he loved, and apparently by saving a team member with his own body,” she noted in the sentimental post.

The aid group released the statement around the time that Russian forces aided by mercenary paramilitary group Wagner launched a barrage of artillery and missiles on the concentration sites of Ukrainian units in Bakhmut, Paraskoviyivka, and Krasny. They also claimed to have hit the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the villages of Klyusy and Gremyach in the Chernihiv region, as well as in Volfino and Studenka in the Sumy region.

“Yesterday, GRM founder Pete Reed was killed in Bakhmut, Ukraine. Pete was the bedrock of GRM, serving as Board President for 4 years. In January, Pete stepped away from GRM to work with Global Outreach Doctors on their Ukraine mission and was killed while rendering aid,” a post shared on Instagram read. “This is a stark reminder of the perils rescue and aid workers face in conflict zones as they serve citizens caught in the crossfire," it added. Pete was aged 33.

GRM noted that he "lived a life in service of others, first as a decorated US Marine and then in humanitarian aid. "GRM will strive to honor his legacy and the selfless service he practiced," the statement said.

The Wagner private paramilitary company's Chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, earlier yesterday announced that his fighters seized control of two key villages of Sacco and Vanzetti village making more territorial gains near Bakhmut. Wagner's Telegram channel shared the update, saying that the Russian fighters have successfully taken control of the villages located about 20 kilometers from Bakhmut. The channel also shared the image of its soldiers against the backdrop of an intact house waving its flag. "The photo shows the only surviving house in Sacco and Vanzetti," Wagner's press service on Telegram said. 

"At 4 pm today, February 1, 2023, full control of Sacco and Vanzetti has been seized by assault units of PMC Wagner," Wagner chief Prigozhin also known as Putin's chef announced on Telegram's official channel.