A Russian journalist has tragically lost his life following a drone strike in eastern Ukraine, near the Russian occupied city of Donetsk. Alexander Martemyanov, a freelance reporter for the state newspaper Izvestia, was killed while travelling in a civilian vehicle on a highway in a zone controlled by Russian forces. Moscow has accused Ukraine’s military of deliberately targeting Martemyanov, but Ukraine has yet to comment on the incident.
The attack took place as Martemyanov and four other media workers were returning from covering shelling in the Russian-held city of Horlivka. The Izvestia report, shared via Telegram, stated that the vehicle was “far from the line of contact” when it was struck by a drone. Along with Martemyanov, two journalists from Russian state news agency Ria and two from the local outlet Bloknot Donetsk were also in the car. While Martemyanov was killed, the other reporters reportedly sustained injuries and were treated in a hospital.
Martemyanov, who had been with Izvestia since 2014, was no stranger to danger. He had been wounded in a previous attack on Donetsk last year but had returned to work after recovering. His death has sparked outrage in Moscow, with Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova calling it “deliberate murder.” Zakharova condemned the attack as another example of what she described as the “brutal crimes” committed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government.
This incident is the latest in a series of tragic events involving journalists caught in the crossfire of the ongoing conflict. The International Federation of Journalists reported that at least 21 journalists have been killed in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
The EU had previously blocked Russian state media outlets like Izvestia and Ria in May 2022, citing their role in spreading propaganda supporting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
As the war continues, the dangers faced by journalists on both sides highlight the increasingly perilous nature of reporting from the front lines. Martemyanov’s death is a somber reminder of the risks that reporters take to bring the world information from conflict zones, and the tragedy underscores the human toll of this brutal war.
