The journalist and a cameraman were documenting the relief efforts for the flooded people of Kherson when some explosions occurred near them: “Probably an artillery shell or a shell that the Russians fired at the rescuers’ boats.”
moments of tension for the correspondent of Rai News 24 in Ukraine, Raffaela Cosentino, and for his team. While filming from Kherson, in the areas of Ukraine inundated and brought to their knees by the destruction of the dam on the Dnipro River, the journalist, along with cameraman Maurizio Calaiò and their fixer, were near points where an The explosions were due to Russian bombs that detonated on June 9 at around 1 p.m. Italian time. The shots concerned evacuations in the flooded areas that Volodymyr Zelenskyy had visited a few hours earlier.
The reporter’s story
During a connection, the correspondent herself recounted this, explaining the dynamics of the incident and the moments of fear she experienced: “Around 1 p.m. Italian time we were at the aid point, there were amphibious vehicles evacuating people when there was 20 meters away to a Explosion came.” The water rose from us, it was probably an artillery shell or a shell that the Russians had fired at the lifeboats. The RaiNews24 correspondent told Cosentino and continued: “Around us were boats, ambulances and aid stations for the displaced. It was a deliberate attack. Zelenskyy had been in the same place a few hours earlier: it really seems to be the Russian reaction.” to his visit. The bombardment then continued with violence, we ran away, it was difficult to reach the shelters, some soldiers broke through the windows of an underground gym, we climbed there with the rescuers and volunteers. At least nine people were injured.” .
Raffaela Cosentino, the precedent of verbal aggression in Sicily
For completely different reasons, journalist Raffaela Cosentino was the protagonist of another moment that made the headlines. It happened in 2020 when the reporter of TGR Sicilia and her operator fell victim to a verbal attack while documenting the protest of restaurateurs at the Palazzo d’Orleans in Palermo: “Attacked by three frantic men who forced us with insults , threatening roars and to leave the country completely without a mask,” they explained.