According to the Institute of Mass Information, as of April 24, seven journalists had been killed while carrying out their professional duty, nine had been injured, and at least 15 were missing.
This statement was originally published on imi.org.ua on 24 April 2022.
In two months of the full-scale war, Russia has committed 243 crimes against journalists and the media in Ukraine.
This is according to the monitoring conducted by the Institute of Mass Information.
As of April 24, seven journalists have been killed while carrying out their professional duty, nine have been injured, and at least 15 are missing.
IMI has documented eight cases of journalists being captured and abducted by Russians. In these cases, at least nine journalists were taken hostage. Most of them have already been released, but the fate of one of the journalists, Dmytro Khylyuk, who disappeared in Kyiv region, is still unknown. Colleagues had some intelligence about him being taken hostage; however, the region had already been liberated from the occupants, yet nothing is known about the journalist’s whereabouts.
In addition, the fate of at least 14 journalists from Mariupol also remains unknown. IMI is currently unable to verify what happened to our colleagues, so we consider them missing.
The list of Russian crimes also includes shelling, threats, harassment of journalists, shelling and seizure of TV towers, hacking attacks on Ukrainian media websites, shelling of media offices, shutting down Ukrainian broadcasting, blocking access to Ukrainian media websites in Russia and the occupied Crimea. In addition, at least 106 regional media outlets were forced to cease their work due to threats from the Russian occupants, THE seizure of offices, inability to work under temporary occupation and print newspapers, etc.
Seven journalists have been killed while carrying out their duties in Kyiv and its suburbs in the two months since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Among them are three Ukrainian journalists and four foreign ones, five men and two women. Namely:
- Yevhen Sakun, LIVE channel cameraman (deceased on March 1 in a Russian missile strike on a TV tower in Kyiv);
- Brent Renaud, documentarist and The Times correspondent (shot by Russians on March 13 at a checkpoint in Irpin);
- Pierre Zakrzewski, Fox News cameraman, Irish citizen (deceased on March 14 in a Russian shelling attack on Horenka village, Kyiv region);
- Oleksandra Kuvshynova, Ukrainian fixer and journalist (deceased on March 14 together with Pierre Zakrzewski in a russian shelling attack on Horenka village, Kyiv region);
- Oksana Baulina, journalist working for the Russian The Insider, Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (deceased on March 23 under Russian artillery fire in Kyiv while carrying out an editorial assignment);
- Maxim Levin, photo reporter, war correspondent, had worked for many international agencies and Ukrainian media (went missing on March 13, found murdered on April 1);
- Mantas Kvedaravicius, Lithuanian filmmaker and documentarist (killed in Mariupol).
Another 14 journalists were killed as combatants or as a result of Russian shelling, not while performing their journalist duties.
- Oleksandr Lytkin, “КNК Мedia” journalist, deceased on February 13 in a shelling attack on Romanivka village by Russian troops.
- Dilerbek Shakirov, civillian journalist working for “Navkolo tebe” informational weekly, shot from an automatic rifle on February 26 in Kherson suburbs;
- Serhiy Pushchenko, graphic artist and painter, culturologist, Honored Artist of Ukraine, National Journalist Union of Ukraine member, award-winning journalist, volunteer and ATO veteran, killed on March 2 in Vasylkiv together with his territorial defence comrades;
- Viktor Dudar, war journalist, deceased on March 6 in a battle with Russian invaders near Mykolaiv;
- Pavlo Li, actor, “Dom” channel host, joined territorial defence forces at the beginning of the war, deceased on March 6 near Irpin while helping evacuate civillians;
- Viktor Dedov, “Sigma” channel cameraman, killed on March 11 in Mariupol as a result of a shelling attack on a building;
- Oleh Yakunin, Zaporizhzhia misto.zp.ua website editor, deceased on March 18 defending Ukraine from Russian invaders;
- Lilia Humyanova, journalism tutor and the head of the art department of Livoberezhny District House of Children’s and Youth Creativity, killed on March 19 in a Russian shelling attack on Mariupol;
- Yurii Oliynyk, Channel 24 cameraman, deceased on March 23 in a battle near Popasna village, Luhansk region;
- Serhiy Zaikovskyy, essayist, historian, translator, deceased on March 24 in a battle with Russian invaders near Kyiv;
- Denys Kotenko, Ministry of Veterans Affairs press office employee, deceased on March 24 in a battle with Russian invaders near Kyiv;
- Yevhen Bal, journalist, author, volunteer, died under torture at the hands of Russian troops on April 2 in Mariupol;
- Roman Nezhyborets, Chernihiv’s “Dytynets” channel video engineer, killed by Russian troops in April in Yahidna village near Chernihiv;
- Zoreslav Zamoiskyy, body with signs of violent death found on April 13 in Bucha.
At least nine journalists have been injured in the Russian invaders’ shelling attacks in Kyiv, Sumy, Mykolayiv, and Chernihiv regions:
- Stefan Weichert, journalist for the Danish Esktra-Bladet (wounded on February 26 when their car came under fire in Okhtyrka, Sumy region);
- Emil Filtenborg Mikkelsen, journalist for the Danish Esktra-Bladet (wounded on February 26 when their car came under fire in Okhtyrka, Sumy region);
- Stuart Ramsay, correspondent for British Sky News (wounded by russian troops’ gunfire in Bucha, Kyiv region, on February 28. The channel’s cameraman Richie Mockler was saved by his bulletproof vest);
- Guillaume Briquet, Swiss journalist (wounded in Mykolaiv region on March 6 as the car he was in came under Russian gunfire. He was also robbed. The occupants could clearly see “PRESS” sign on the car);
- Maryan Kushnir, Radio Liberty correspondent (wounded in a missile strike on March 11 near Kyiv);
- Juan Diego Herrera Arredondo, American journalist (wounded in a Russian shelling attack on March 13 in Irpin near Kyiv);
- Benjamin Hall, journalist for the American Fox News (hospitalised with a severe wound he took on March 14 while working on a report near Kyiv);
- Andrii Tsaplienko, journalist for “TSN.Tyzhden,” 1+1 channel (received a shrapnel wound on March 24 as Russians fired at a civillian convoy in Chernihiv region);
- Oleksandr Navrotskyy, cameraman (received a severe leg wound on March 26 while filming during a “Grad” shelling attack in Kyiv region).
IMI has recorded eight cases of capturing and abduction of journalists by the Russian invaders. These cases have occurred in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia (Melitopol) and Kherson (Nova Kakhovka) regions. Namely, these are the abduction of journalists and the publisher of “Melitopolski Vidomosti” newspaper and the taking of the father of “RIA-Melitopol” journalist Svitlana Zalizetska, as well as “Nova Kakhovka” journalists Oleh Baturyn and Oleksandr Hunko, hostage.
The Russian occupants have shelled 11 TV towers in eight regions of Ukraine: Melitopol (Zaporizhzhia region), Kyiv and Vinarivka village (Kyiv region), Kharkiv (hit the TV tower twice) and the region (Izyum), Rivne, Vinnytsia, Korosten (Zhytomyr region), Lysychansk (Luhansk region), Bilopillya (Sumy region). As a result of Russian air strikes, Ukrainian broadcasting has completely or partially disappeared in these regions.
In addition, the occupants have seized Ukrainian media offices and switched the broadcasting to Russian channels. In particular, the Russian invaders forcibly shut Kherson and Melitopol off from Ukrainian broadcasting, and mined Suspilne’s building in Kherson.
IMI has also recorded numerous DDoS attacks on the websites of Ukrainian online media and NGOs covering Russia’s war against Ukraine. Media websites have been hacked, news reports edited, and Russian symbols or calls to surrender posted. Namely, the attacks were targeting the websites of Suspilne, NV, Channel 5, “Babel,” Lutsk website “Konkurent,” “Poltavska Khvylya” media, the website of Kherson’s “Novy den” newspaper, Minfin.com.ua financial periodical, the Kherson edition MOST, TV channel websites “Espresso,” “Detector Media,” etc. In addition, IMI recorded phishing attacks on Ukrainian media offices and journalists.
Since the end of March, IMI has recorded threats being sent to Ukrainian media outlets and journalists via email. The threatening letters came from the Russian mail.ru service, signed by various users. Journalists have been threatened with interrogation, torture, and incarceration, and were even sent rhymed threats later. Such letters have been received by the editorial offices of European Pravda, Hlavkom, Apostrof, Krym.Realii, Zaporizhzhia city website 061.ua, and a number of Volyn and Zaporizhzhia media outlets.
Russian crimes against journalists and the media have been recorded in 16 regions of Ukraine. Russia has committed the most crimes in Kyiv and Kyiv region (murder, wounding, disappearances, abductions, shelling of journalists and TV towers, threats, cybercrimes). Then come Zaporizhzhia and Kherson: some cities in these regions are occupied by the Russian army; there have been cases of abductions, shooting on journalists, threats, cybercrimes, seizure of media offices and the shutdown of Ukrainian broadcasting. Many Ukrainian editorial offices have been with interruptions due to sirens and shelling throughout Ukraine.
Murders – 7
1. Live TV cameraman dies during shelling of Kyiv TV tower
01.03.2022 Live TV cameraman Yevheniy Sakun was killed in the shelling of a TV tower in Kyiv on March 1.
The report on the death of the TV channel worker was later confirmed by the National Police, according to Novyny.LIVE.
“Now we have a personal account with the invaders,” Yevheniy Sakun’s colleagues wrote. Novyny.LIVE editorial staff expresses their sincere condolences to the family of the deceased.
As IMI has reported, on March 1, Russian troops shelled the Kyiv TV tower; the channels had temporarily gone off air as a result.
The Shevchenkivsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Kyiv has launched a criminal investigation into the shelling attack on Kyiv TV tower, which resulted in the death of several people (violation of the laws and customs of war) (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
2. Russian terrorists kill journalist Brent Renaud in Irpin
13.03.2022 In Irpin, near Kyiv, the Russian invaders shot dead The New York Times correspondent Brent Renaud and wounded another journalist. This was reported by Kyiv Police Chief Andriy Nebytov.
“Today, a correspondent working for the world-famous New York Times was shot dead in Irpin. Another journalist was wounded. Now the victim is being taken away from the combat zone. Naturally, the journalist’s profession involves some risks, but the US citizen Brent Renaud paid the price of his life for trying to cover the villainy, cruelty, and ruthlessness of the aggressor,” Andriy Nebytov wrote.
According to the Okhmatdyt Hospital’s spokeswoman Anastasia Magerramova, the injured journalist, American citizen Juan Diego Herrera Arredondo, 46 years old, was conscious. The man received a shrapnel wound in his thigh. He has been operated by Okhmatdyt medics. He does not know of his colleague’s fate yet. The last thing he remembers is Brent Renaud being shot in the neck at a russian checkpoint.
3. Photojournalist Max Levin killed by Russian troops – Prosecutor’s Office
02.03.2022 Photojournalist Maxim Levin, who had gone missing while carrying out his journalistic duties in March in Kyiv region, has been found dead. This was reported to the Institute of Mass Information by Prosecutor General’s Office.
“The journalist’s body was found in the village of Huta Mezhyhirska in Vyshhorod district. According to preliminary information, Maxim Levin, unarmed, was killed by the russian armed forces personnel, shot twice from a light weapon,” the report reads.
The police found the photojournalist’s body on April 1.
The Vyshhorod District Prosecutor’s Office has opened criminal proceedings for violation of laws and customs of war (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
According to LB.ua, where Max had worked for a long time, he and Oleksiy Chernyshov, a serviceman and formerly a photographer, went to document the outcomes of Russian aggression. The fate of Oleksiy Chernyshov is currently unknown.
Max Levin is survived by four underage sons, a wife and elderly parents.
As IMI reported, photojournalist Maxim Levin went missing on the front line in the Vyshhorod district outside Kyiv, where he was performing his professional duties and covering the war. The last time he was in touch was on March 13.
Maksym Levin was born in 1981 in Kyiv region. He had worked as a photojournalist, documentary photographer and cameraman for many Ukrainian and international publications, had collaborated with Reuters, BBC, TRT World, Associated Press, LB.ua, Hromadske. His photos were published by such publications as the Wall Street Journal, TIME, Break.
4. Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova killed by Russian troops near Kyiv
15.03.2022 Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova was killed in an artillery shelling by Russian troops in Horenka village, Kyiv region. Fox News cameraman, Irish citizen Pierre Zakrzewski, was killed with her. The adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Anton Herashchenko reported this.
IMI has got a photo of a badge issued to Oleksandra Kuvshynova by Fox News.
Fox News have also covered their cameraman’s death in their story. According to the channel, Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova were working with correspondent Benjamin Hall. They had been in the car when russians fired upon them.
The day before, on March 14, it became known that Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall had been wounded in the leg while filming a report near Kyiv.
According to Herashchenko, a part of Benjamin Hall’s thigh has been amputated.
5. Fox News cameraman killed by Russian troops
15.03.2022 Fox News cameraman, Irish citizen Pierre Zakrzewski has been killed in an artillery shelling by Russian troops in Horenka village, Kyiv region. Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova was killed with him. The adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs Anton Herashchenko reported this. Fox News have also covered their cameraman’s death in their story. According to them, Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova had been working with correspondent Benjamin Hall. They had been in the car when Russians fired upon them.
6. Journalist for The Insider killed in a shelling in Kyiv
23.03.2022 The Insider journalist Oksana Baulina died on March 23 in a Russian shelling attack on Kyiv while carrying out an editorial assignment.
This was reported on the media’s website.
According to the newspaper, Oksana Baulina had been filming the destruction after the Russian troops fired on the Podol district of the capital and she came under new missile strike. Another civilian was killed with her, and two people who had been accompanying her were injured and hospitalized.
Before joining The Insider, Oksana had been working for Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation. After the organization was added to the extremist list, she was forced to leave russia.
As a correspondent, Oksana went to Ukraine, where she managed to make several reports from Lviv and Kyiv before her death.
The periodical stated that it will continue covering the war in Ukraine, namely such Russian war crimes as “indiscriminate shelling of residential areas that is killing civilians and journalists.”
7. Russians kill Lithuanian documentarist Mantas Kvedaravičius in Mariupol
03.04.2022 In Mariupol, the Russian military killed Lithuanian filmmaker and documentarist Mantas Kvedaravičius, as it was reported by “Army Inform,” Russian filmmaker Vitaly Mansky, and Lithuanian media.
“Army Inform” notes that the director died as he was trying to leave the city. According to Lithuanian media, his car might have been hit by a missile.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has already expressed his condolences over the death of Kvedaravičius, delfi.lt reports.
“Not only Lithuania, but the whole world has lost a famous artist who, despite the danger, had been working in Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia. I wish much, much strength to his family, friends and all those who appreciate Kvedaravičius’ talent,” said the Lithuanian President.
Later, Ukrainian journalist Albina Lvutina, who had known the filmmaker, said that Mantas Kvedaravičius had been shot dead by the Russian troops. “The heartless Russian soldiers captured Mantas and killed him. And then just left him out there. His heroic wife did the unbelievable. Under shelling, she was able to find his body in Mariupol and take him to his native Lithuania. It was necessary to keep this information a secret so that she wouldn’t be killed herself and that russians wouldn’t destroy the body,” the journalist wrote. According to her, Mantas died not on April 2, but earlier. At that point, his wife was already trying to take his body away through Russia. The death of Kvedaravičius in the occupied Mariupol became known on April 3.
The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova also reported on the circumstances of Mantas Kvedaravičius’ death in Mariupol.
According to the Commissioner, he had been taken prisoner by ruscists, who later shot him. “The occupants threw the filmmaker’s body out into the street. His wife, risking her life, took the body out of the blockaded city and brought it to Lithuania. The real cause of the filmmaker’s death has not been announced before for the sake of her safety,” the statement reads.
Mantas Kvedaravičius was born in 1976. He received a Master’s degree in cultural anthropology in Oxford University. In 2011, he made the documentary “Barzah” about the war-torn Chechnya. The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and won the Amnesty International Award.
In 2016, he made the documentary “Mariupol” about the city, which had been at the forefront of the Russian-Ukrainian war a year before. The film was screened at the Berlin Film Festival.
Disappearences – 15
1. UNIAN journalist Dmytro Khylyuk goes missing near Kyiv
28.03.2022
A UNIAN correspondent for UNIAN Dmytro Khylyuk went missing and has possibly been taken captive by Russian troops. This was announced on Facebook by journalist Natalia Bohuta.
“My friend and colleague, journalist Dmytro Khylyuk, has been taken prisoner. According to the information we have, he had been taken away by the occupants in early March and is currently being held in a detention center in Dymer town, Kyiv region,” Natalia wrote.
In the comments to the post, she added that “we have informed the Exchange Center, the Security Service, Kyryl Tymoshenko, Oleksiy Arestovych, and Iryna Venediktova.” The details of the detention and the place of detention, which were reported by witnesses, have been provided to the official authorities.
“Subsequently, after talking to media representatives, in particular those who went through release of journalists, it was decided to make the information public,” said Natalia.
Later, Kyiv region has been liberated from the Russian occupants, but UNIAN journalist Dmytro Khulyuk has not been found yet, and he has not been in touch since the beginning of March this year.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said that the Russian authorities must release him immediately and stop detaining members of the press for doing their job.
According to the news, the testimony of the journalist’s relatives contains information that he was detained by the Russian troops in Kozarovychi village in Kyiv region, which was occupied by the Russians on March 1. A family member of the journalist told CPJ on condition of anonymity that Khylyuk had called her on March 3 and said that Russian soldiers had searched the house where he lived with his parents and confiscated their phones and SIM cards.
In addition, the fate of at least 14 journalists from Mariupol remains unknown. Either they were unable to leave the city, have no phone connection, or are dead. IMI is currently unable to verify what happened to our colleagues, so we consider them missing.
