UKRAINE: Two Ukrainian journalists were killed by a Russian drone strike in Kramatorsk on Thursday. The attack struck at a petrol station while the journalists, Olena Hubanova and Yevhen Karmazin, were in a car. Their colleague was wounded in the strike. Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman described the attack as a war crime and condemned targeting journalists.
The journalists worked for Ukraine’s state-funded Freedom TV channel, which broadcasts in Russian. The Donetsk region governor, Vadym Filashkin, said the drone used was a Lancet, a powerful weapon usually deployed against tanks and armored vehicles. The general prosecutor’s office has opened a war crimes investigation, posting images of the destroyed car and press flak jackets recovered from the scene.
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Human rights officials emphasized that attacks on journalists have become increasingly dangerous in the conflict. Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, at least 20 journalists have been killed in Ukraine. Earlier this month, a French photojournalist was killed near Druzhkivka, and last week, a Russian correspondent died in a Ukrainian drone strike in Zaporizhzhia’s Russian-occupied region.
Experts say drones are increasingly used in targeted attacks on civilians and media workers, raising global concerns about the safety of reporters in conflict zones. The European Federation of Journalists has condemned such attacks, calling for stronger protections for journalists in Ukraine.
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The incident underscores the escalating risks for press members in eastern Ukraine. International organizations continue urging both sides to respect press freedom and protect journalists reporting from war-torn areas.