“A great reporter.” Several media and journalists paid tribute to Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, who died on Monday May 30 in Ukraine. The 32-year-old image reporter coveredt a Ukrainian evacuation operation near Severodonetsk, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Luhansk region (eastern Ukraine). He was killed by “a Russian bombardment”, has said French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.
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The editorial staff of BFMTV, for which Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff worked, is “in mourning”, said Marc-Olivier Fogiel, general manager of the news channel. “This is the second time he has gone to Ukraine, at his request. I am not specifying this to clear us of customs but to express his commitment”he added.
Marc-Olivier Fogiel, CEO of BFMTV, pays tribute to our journalist Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, killed in Ukraine pic.twitter.com/IlQ5tGxMVC
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) May 30, 2022
For its part, the society of journalists from the BFMTV news channel greeted a man “joyful, enthusiastic, benevolent, courageous and a wonderful journalist”. “He died doing his job as a reporter in the field to show the reality of this conflict”, adds the Society of Journalists. The press release specifies that his colleague, Maxime Brandstaetter, and their fixer Oksana Leuta “are alive and safe”.
— SDJ BFMTV (@sdjbfmtv) May 30, 2022
Other media also paid tribute to the journalist. “On behalf of France Télévisions, I share the immense pain of the editorial staff of BFMTV, for the loss of one of their own, Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff fell in Ukraine to inform us”said Delphine Ernotte, president of France Télévisions, on Twitter.
Behalf @Francetele I share the immense pain of writing @BFMTV for the loss of one of their own, Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff fell in Ukraine to inform us. All our thoughts are with his loved ones and @BFMTV
— Delphine Ernotte (@DelphineErnotte) May 30, 2022
Thierry Thuillier, deputy managing director of the information division of TF1, addressed his “condolences to the family of our colleague Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff”. he added.