June 3 – Two Reuters journalists were injured and a driver killed on Friday after the vehicle they were in came under fire as it drove into the eastern Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk, the latest battle line in Russia’s attack his neighbors.
Photographer Alexander Ermochenko and cameraman Pavel Klimov were traveling in a car being driven by Russian-backed forces on the Russian-controlled portion of the road between Seyerodonetsk and the city of Rubishne, 10 km (6 miles) north.
Reuters was not immediately able to determine the identity of the driver assigned to Reuters by the separatists for the reporting trip. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry did not respond to a phone call asking for comment on the incident.
Ermochenko and Klimov were taken to a hospital in Rubizhne, where they were initially treated, Ermochenko for a minor shrapnel wound and Klimov for a broken arm.
“Reuters sends its deepest condolences to the driver’s family for their loss,” a Reuters spokesman said in a statement.
In recent weeks, Russia has engaged its forces in the battle for Sievierodonetsk, a small factory town in the east that Russia must capture in order to achieve its stated goal of holding the entire Luhansk province. Continue reading
Both sides have taken heavy casualties there in a street fight that could pave the way for a long war of attrition. Moscow describes its presence as a “special military operation” to disarm and “denazify” Ukraine.
writing from Mark John; Editing by Howard Goller
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