Ukrainian War Crimes Documenter Victoria Amelina Dies from Injuries in Russian Missile Strike

Award-winning Ukrainian writer and war crimes researcher Victoria Amelina died on Saturday of severe injuries suffered in a Russian missile strike on a restaurant in Kramatorsk where she was having dinner with colleagues, PEN Ukraine reported Sunday.

Amelina, 37, had been documenting Russian war crimes with the human rights initiative Truth Hounds with a delegation of Colombian writers and journalists.

She was out with members of the delegation when the strike on the popular Ria Lounge occurred June 27.

"In the last days of Victoria's life, her family and friends were by her side," said the PEN statement.

Truth Hounds has collected evidence indicating that the Russian shelling of a civilian target appears to be another war crime of the Russian army in Ukraine, said an earlier joint statement by PEN and Truth Hounds.

“There were no military objects that could have been a legal target for the attack around that day," the statement added.

"Analysis of the destruction and witness testimonies indicate that, most likely, Russia’s Armed Forces used an Iskander missile to carry out the attack," according to the statement.

"This is a missile with a high accuracy, so Russians knew exactly what it would hit," Truth Hounds insisted.

At least 13 people were killed in the attack, and 60 wounded. Three children were among the dead, including 14-year-old twin girls.

The celebrated writer last year unearthed the diary of children's literature writer Volodymyr Vakulenko, who was abducted and killed by Russian troops in the city of Izyum soon after the invasion of Ukraine.

Her first non-fiction book in English, "War and Justice Diary: Looking at Women Looking at War," is due to be published, the BBC reported.

PEN and Truth Hounds noted in their statement that colleagues had traveled to the frontlines with Amelina many times.

“Now, Victoria has become a victim of a war crime herself," it added.