Russian shelling kills US medical volunteer in Ukraine

Maya Yang
·3 min read
2

An American medic has been killed while working on the frontlines in Ukraine, just weeks after arriving in the country.

Pete Reed, 34, was killed on Thursday while he was helping evacuate civilians when his vehicle was reportedly hit by a missile in Bakhmut, the eastern city which has become a focus of fierce fighting.

Related: The Ukraine repair shop: where Russian tanks go to change sides

According to the Kyiv Independent, the shelling injured around five people. In recent weeks, Bakhmut and the neighbouring town of Soledar have been the focus of intense shelling and ground attacks by Russian troops and Wagner mercenaries.

Reed had joined Global Outreach Doctors in January as the humanitarian non-profit volunteer organization’s Ukraine country director, according to GoDoc’s CEO, Andrew Lustig, who detailed Reed’s experiences in a welcome post last month. Reed arrived in Ukraine in the second week of January.

Reed, from Bordentown, New Jersey, was a former US Marine Corps rifleman who had served two tours in Helmand, Afghanistan. After leaving the service, Reed worked as a ski instructor in Wyoming.

He then worked with disaster response organization Team Rubicon after Hurricane Sandy hit his home state in 2012.

In late 2015, during the peak of the global “war on terror” against the Islamic State (IS), Reed went on to begin medical training operations in northern Iraq.

His training led him to spearhead medical teams with Kurdish peshmerga forces, as well as work alongside the Iraqi special forces during the battle of Mosul who sought to recapture the Iraqi city from the IS.

During his time as a medic in Iraq, Reed treated more than 10,000 patients at various trauma stabilization points. Reed’s patients ranged from elderly people to children as young as five years old.

Reed eventually co-founded and served as president of Global Response Management (GRM), a veteran-led international medical NGO that delivers emergency care to various frontlines. With GRM, Reed participated in emergency operations across Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Poland.

According to Lustig, Reed considered the founding of GRM as the “proudest achievement of his life”.

On Friday, GRM wrote that “Pete was the bedrock of GRM” in a mourning post on Twitter.

“He was the good kind of crazy,” his brother Chandler Reed told Fox News. “He put himself selflessly in danger all the time to help other people.”

In a statement to the Guardian, GoDocs said: “The GoDocs team is devastated by this news, as are our humanitarian aid partners in Ukraine and around the world. Pete was a beacon of humanitarian work – an incredible visionary, leader, compassionate care provider, and an inspiration to us all. He selflessly dedicated his life in service to others, especially those affected by disaster and war. Pete accomplished more in his 33 years than most of us in our entire lives. He leaves behind an incredible legacy.”

“Pete’s death underscores the devastation war has on innocent civilians, and highlights the importance of humanitarian and medical aid for affected communities. GoDocs is committed to carrying out this work around the world in honor of Pete,” it added.

Reed’s family has asked for privacy until they release additional information.

At least seven Americans – including volunteer fighters – have died in Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion on 24 February last year.