Russia’s Izvestia newspaper reported on Jan. 4 that a Ukrainian "kamikaze" drone attack killed one of its freelance reporters, Alexander Martemyanov, while he was traveling on a highway in occupied eastern Ukraine.
According to Russia's state-owned RIA Novosti news agency, Martemyanov had been returning from reporting on shelling in the Russian-controlled city of Horlivka in Donetsk Oblast with colleagues when their vehicle was struck. The attack also injured a journalist from RIA and four other media workers, the agency added.
The Kyiv Independent can't immediately verify the information.
"The car in which the journalist was traveling was attacked by a kamikaze drone. Martemyanov died of his wounds," Izvestia reported. Originally a Soviet state newspaper, it is now owned by the National Media Group (NMG), a media conglomerate with significant state-controlled ownership and close ties to the Kremlin.
At least 15 journalists have been killed while covering the war in Ukraine, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
