US filmmaker injured by fallen balcony in Kyiv
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Editor's note: This story has been updated with the official statement from Kyiv's municipal authorities.
Christopher Walters, a U.S. filmmaker documenting the Russian war against Ukraine, was injured when a balcony fell on him in central Kyiv, he said on social media on May 29.
Walters posted a video address on Instagram, with visible bruises on his face and a ruined balcony in the background.
"While missiles and drones are flying, we are being injured by balconies due to someone's irresponsibility!" the filmmaker said in the post.
The incident took place in Kyiv's Podilskyi district in front of a building's entrance, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city's military administration.
Kyiv's municipal authorities said in a May 29 statement that workers from the Podilskyi District housing maintenance company immediately cleared the debris and cordoned off the area.
City officials said that technical inspections are now being prepared to assess what repairs are needed. They also noted that the injured individual did not call emergency services or request medical aid at the time.
According to the Kyiv administration, housing maintenance companies cannot access private balconies without the consent of homeowners. It urged those living in older buildings to report signs of structural damage immediately.
Tkachenko, who is in a public conflict with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, stressed that the accident was "not a hostile attack but a consequence of many years of inaction."
Walters said he wants to conduct an investigation to determine the causes of the incident and prevent it from happening again.
Tkachenko added that he would have a "serious conversation" with district management companies and instructed the new head of the Podilskyi strict administration to keep in touch with the victim and inspect the damage.
