Brent Renault, an award-winning American filmmaker whose work has appeared in the New York Times and other publications, was reportedly killed by Russian troops in the city of Irpen near Kiev. American photographer Juan Arredondo was wounded.
Renault, 51, was shot in the neck and died after coming under Russian fire while working on Sunday, according to local police, but this could not be independently verified.
Jane Ferguson, a reporter for PBS Newshour who was nearby when Reno was killed, tweeted: “Just left a roadside spot near Irpen where the body of American journalist Brent Reno was lying under a blanket. Ukrainian doctors at that time could no longer help him. Outraged Ukrainian police officer: “Tell America, tell the world what they did to a journalist.”
I just left a roadside place near Irpin, where the body of American journalist Brent Reno lay under a blanket. Ukrainian doctors could no longer help him. Outraged Ukrainian police officer: “Tell America, tell the world what they did to a journalist.”
— Jane Ferguson (@JaneFerguson5) March 13, 2022
Clifford Levy, deputy managing editor of the New York Times, released a statement on Twitter explaining that Renaud did not work for the paper, contrary to earlier reports.
“[The New York Times] deeply saddened by the news of the death of American journalist in Ukraine Brent Renault. Brent was a talented photographer and filmmaker, but he wasn’t on a New York Times business trip to Ukraine. Early reports that he worked for The Times were circulated because he wore the Times badge he was given for his appointment many years ago.”
Levy added: “Brent’s death is a terrible loss. Brave journalists like Brent are taking enormous risks to testify and tell the world about the devastation and suffering caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
Kiev region police chief Andrey Nebitov said in a statement: “The occupiers are cynically killing even international media journalists who are trying to show the truth about the atrocities of Russian troops in Ukraine.”
Arredondo, 45, a World Press Photo winner and associate professor at Columbia University, said he and Renault went to Irpin to film refugees fleeing the city and were fired upon by soldiers near a checkpoint. In a video describing what happened while he was in the hospital, he suggested they were ambushed.
“We crossed the first bridge in Irpin. We were going to film all the fleeing refugees. We got into the car… Someone offered to give us a ride to another bridge, we crossed the checkpoint, and they started shooting at us,” Arredondo said. “So the driver turned around, and they continued to shoot … and there were two of us. My friend’s name is Brent Renault, he was shot and abandoned.”
When the interviewer asked how Reno was feeling, Arredondo replied, “I don’t know. I saw that he was wounded in the neck. And we split up.”
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN: “If an American journalist was actually killed, it is a shocking and horrific event. This is yet another example of the brutality of Vladimir Putin and his forces as they targeted schools, mosques, hospitals and journalists.
“And that is why we are working so hard to put harsh consequences on him, and trying to help the Ukrainians with all forms of military assistance that we can muster to be able to fight back against the onslaught of these Russian forces.”