Learn more about the brave reporters who put themselves at risk to report from the front lines.
The work of journalists and news reporters is always necessary, but it becomes particularly essential — and increasingly dangerous — in times of war.
In recent days, the plight of journalists attempting to cover Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has become quite clear, and for devastating reasons: Three foreign journalists were recently and tragically killed while reporting on the ground in Ukraine.
Though the journalists hailed from different countries, they were all working for United States publications at the time of their deaths. Additionally, another news editor in Russia is facing jail time — or worse — for trying to educate Russian citizens about what’s really happening across the border.
Here a look at these brave reporters and what’s happened to them in the line of fire.
Brent Renaud, an award-winning American journalist, was killed in the Ukrainian City of Irpin on Sunday
Brent Renaud, 50, was reporting on the ground in a Ukrainian city called Irpin when he was killed by Russian forces. The news first began to circulate on social media and was later confirmed by regional police. According to CNN, Renaud was the first foreign journalist to be killed in this war.
Renaud’s reporting partner, Juan Arredondo, was also shot by Russian forces and has since been hospitalized for his injuries. From his hospital bed, he explained that he and Renaud were shot at after they passed a checkpoint in order to film civilians who were attempting to flee.
Renaud was working on a film project for TIME about the refugee crisis at the time of his death. The publication gave a statement on Renaud’s passing, which said in part, “We are devastated by the loss of Brent Renaud…Our hearts are with all of Brent’s loved ones. It is essential that journalists are able to safely cover this ongoing invasion and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.”
Pierre Zakrzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshinova were reporting for Fox News when they were killed on Monday
Pierre Zakrzewski, 55, and Oleksandra Kuvshinova, 24, were both killed on Monday. Per USA Today, they were traveling in a vehicle near Kyiv when they were struck by incoming fire. Another reporter, Benjamin Hall, was also injured in the attack and is currently hospitalized.
Following news of the attack, Fox News released the following statement via CEO Suzanne Scott: “Pierre was a war zone photographer who covered nearly every international story for Fox News from Iraq to Afghanistan to Syria during his long tenure with us. His passion and talent as a journalist were unmatched.”
A senior field producer for Fox, Yonat Friling, also provided a statement on Kuvshinova. She had reportedly been working with the team for a month at the time of her death and had done “a brilliant job”.
“We have lost a beautiful brave woman,” Frilling tweeted. “She loved music and she was funny and kind.”
Marina Ovsyannikova, a Russian news editor, has been arrested and detained for protesting the war on public television
On Monday, a Russian news editor did the unthinkable: She burst onto the set of a live report for Channel One, the main news channel in Russia, and held up a sign protesting the war in Ukraine.
Marina Ovsyannikova was an editor for Channel One. As seen in footage of the broadcast, she stepped behind the anchorwoman and shouted, “Stop the war. No to war.” She also held up a poster, which held a message in Russian: “Don’t believe the propaganda. They’re lying to you here.” At the bottom of the poster was a line written in English, “Russians against the war.”
At the same time as her outburst, she released a pre-recorded video via a human rights group. She said in part, “Regrettably, for a number of years, I worked on Channel One and worked on Kremlin propaganda, I am very ashamed of this right now. Ashamed that I was allowed to tell lies from the television screen. Ashamed that I allowed the zombification of the Russian people. We were silent in 2014 when this was just beginning.”
Ovsyannikova was promptly arrested and taken into custody. Per NPR, she was seen in court on Tuesday, where she refused to retract the statements she made about the war. She was fined 30,000 roubles (which is about $280) and released. Though the fine is not particularly substantial, the entire ordeal speaks to the chill in Russia for journalists who speak out against Putin — and Ovsyannikova’s legal team said before she appeared in court that they had been unable to locate her after she’d disappeared from the TV station.
After the court proceedings, Ovsyannikova told reporters she was looking forward to resting after a draining couple of days.
“The interrogation lasted for more than 14 hours. I wasn’t allowed to get in touch with my family or friends. I was denied access to a lawyer,” she said.
She is now subject to an investigation by a Russian committee, in a country that has recently made it illegal to spread what the Russian government deems “fake news” about the Russian military.
