MOSCOW: Russian war correspondent Ivan Zuyev has been killed by a Ukrainian drone strike while reporting from the front line in southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region.
His state news agency RIA confirmed the incident occurred on Thursday during his assignment.
Zuyev’s colleague Yuri Voitkevich sustained serious injuries in the same attack.
The journalist had received multiple state awards for his reporting work.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier expressed his gratitude to Zuyev for his contributions.
State Duma members praised Zuyev’s professional work following his death.
Leonid Slutsky, head of the chamber’s International Affairs Committee, accused Ukrainian forces of systematically targeting Russian journalists.
Earlier this month, French photojournalist Antoni Lallican became the first journalist killed by a Russian drone.
The European Federation of Journalists confirmed Lallican’s death marked a new pattern in journalist fatalities.
At least 18 journalists have died in the conflict zone since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. – Reuters
