Ukrainian Artillery Strike Kills Russian Journalists In Luhansk

Ukrainian Attack Claims the Lives of Russian Journalists and Civilians

A Ukrainian artillery assault in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine, resulted in the deaths of at least six individuals, including three Russian journalists, on Monday.

Journalists Among the Casualties in Luhansk Region

The media organizations affected have verified the deaths of their journalists. However, Ukrainian authorities have yet to issue an official response regarding the incident.

Leonid Pasechnik, the Russian-appointed governor of Luhansk, disclosed that among the deceased was Alexander Fedorchak, a journalist from Izvestia, along with Andrei Panov, a camera operator, and Alexander Sirkeli, a driver for Zvezda, a Russian state television network.

Zvezda further reported that its correspondent, Nikita Goldin, sustained serious injuries in the attack, which targeted a civilian vehicle.

Russia Alleges Journalists Were Deliberately Targeted

In reaction to the attack, Alexander Miroshnik, an ambassador-at-large for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, alleged that the strike was intentional.

“New details are emerging that suggest this was a deliberate and terrorist act aimed at journalists and civilians around them,” Miroshnik posted on Telegram.

Ongoing Conflict in Eastern Ukraine

According to Izvestia, journalist Fedorchak had recently moved to Luhansk after covering developments in Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, an area where Russian forces have made significant territorial advances in recent months.

This incident follows the January killing of an Izvestia freelance reporter in Ukraine.

Rising Toll on Journalists Amid the War

Data from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) indicates that at least 15 journalists have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Luhansk region remains largely under Russian control, as Moscow’s forces continue to focus on securing eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, which includes Luhansk and Donetsk. This shift in strategy follows Russia’s failure to capture Kyiv in the initial stages of the war.