French journalist, Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, was killed Monday, May 30 when he coveredt a Ukrainian evacuation operation near Severodonetsk. In this city of Donbass, in the east of Ukraine, Russian troops are advancing. On the diplomatic level, the countries of the European Union were gathered to discuss new sanctions against Moscow.
Here’s what to remember from the day.
French journalist killed near Severodonetsk
French image reporter Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff was killed on Monday near Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine. Working for BFMTV and aged 32, he was “on board a humanitarian bus, alongside civilians forced to flee to escape Russian bombs”, announced Emmanuel Macron. He coveredt a Ukrainian evacuation operation in the Luhansk region, in the Donbass (eastern Ukraine), when “he was fatally shot”confirmed the president.
The journalist was killed by “a Russian bombardment”, specifies the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, who condemns a “double crime targeting a humanitarian convoy and a journalist”. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday evening the opening of an investigation entrusted to the Central Office for the Fight against Crimes against Humanity, Genocide and War Crimes. This survey also covers “the injuries suffered by his colleague Maxime Brandstaetter”, present with him during the report, said the prosecution. Several journalists and politicians paid tribute to Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff.
French Foreign Minister visits Ukraine
Catherine Colonna, the new head of French diplomacy, made her first trip to Ukraine on Monday to “to show France’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people (…) in the face of Russian aggression”. The Minister of Foreign Affairs went to Boutcha, a town near kyiv where massacres of civilians attributed to Russian troops took place.
“This shouldn’t happen, it shouldn’t happen again”said Catherine Colonna. “France is at their side [aux côtés des Ukrainiens] with her friends, her allies, she will do everything possible for peace to return”, she recalled.
Volodymyr Zelensky calls for EU ‘unity’ to adopt new sanctions against Moscow
“Internal quarrels must stop.” The Ukrainian President on Monday urged the countries of the European Union to “largest unit” to allow “the adoption” new sanctions against Russia. “Europe must show its strength. Because Russia sees only strength as an argument. (…) It is time for you not to be divided, not fragments, but a united whole”Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message broadcast during an extraordinary EU summit in Brussels.
The Twenty-Seven met to discussa sixth package of sanctions against Moscow, including a plan for a gradual embargo on Russian oil, hitherto blocked by Hungary. Arriving at the summit, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said there was no “no compromise” acceptable “for the moment” on the subject. But a new compromise proposal was to be discussed, providing for an embargo by the end of the year “with a temporary exemption for pipeline crude”designed to override the Hungarian veto.
The Russians are advancing towards the heart of Severodonetsk
It is a key city in the Battle of Donbass, in the east of the country. “The Russians are advancing towards the middle of Severodonetsk. The fighting continues, the situation is very difficult”Serguiï Gaïdaï, head of the Luhansk region, announced Monday on Telegram. “Severodonetsk’s critical infrastructure is destroyed, 60% of the housing stock cannot be restored”he specified.
The governor added that the road linking Severodonetsk to the twin town of Lyssychansk, and then to that of Bakhmout further south, was too “dangerous” to allow the evacuation of civilians and the transport of humanitarian aid.