Reporters Without Borders asks that “all light is shed on the circumstances” of the death of the American reporter Brent Renaud, shot dead in Ukraine, declares on franceinfo, Sunday March 13, Christophe Deloire, general secretary of the NGO.“There is a huge risk for journalists to work in the field” in Ukraine, he recalls. Ukrainian authorities accuse Russian forces of being behind the shooting that killed the journalist in the Irpin region, near Kiev.
>> War in Ukraine: “In recent hours, I feel much more threatened than before”, testifies a journalist on the spot
franceinfo: What do we know about the death of this journalist, the first of a foreign journalist since the start of the Russian invasion?
Christopher Deloire: To tell the truth, there are still a lot of elements missing. What we do know is that a renowned documentary filmmaker, who has won numerous awards in the United States, was killed in the suburbs of Kiev while driving with a journalist who was injured . And we, what we are asking at this stage is that all light be shed on the circumstances of this death. This is the second death of a journalist on the spot, since a Ukrainian journalist was killed during a bombardment of the television tower in the same city.
The Ukrainian authorities accuse the Russian forces of having fired on the journalists. Do we know more about the origin of the shots?
At this stage, we have no specific information. In any case, I was yesterday in Ukraine, in Lviv, where Reporters Without Borders opened a center for the protection of journalists, and I mentioned the enormous risk for journalists working in the field.
Several television crews have already come under attack and deliberate attacks.
Christopher Deloireat franceinfo
This is the case of a team from Al Arabiya, another from Sky News, a team of Danish journalists, a Swiss journalist was injured… It is a place where there are extremely serious dangers for foreign reporters and even more so for Ukrainian journalists, since the difference is that Ukrainian journalists find themselves covering a war without being used to it. They did not voluntarily go to war. It is war that has come to them.
And this center is set up for Ukrainian journalists?
He will take great care of Ukrainian journalists, in particular, by providing training in physical security and digital security. But he will also take care as much as possible of foreign journalists and Russian journalists on the spot. Many journalists are extremely worried, especially since there is a lack of protective equipment. It is lacking for Ukrainian journalists, but also for international newsrooms on the spot. So, for example, there is a very high demand for helmets, bulletproof vests and that is why we made the first deliveries this week. We will continue, we will increase in power.