Hundreds Attend Funeral of Russian War Correspondent Killed in Ukraine

Semyon Yeryomin, a 42-year-old war correspondent for the Russian newspaper Izvestia, was killed by a Ukrainian FPV drone strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on April 19, 2023. Yeryomin was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and hundreds of people attended his funeral to mourn the respected journalist's death.

According to reports, Yeryomin was on his way back from visiting a Russian military unit in the Zaporizhzhia region when the drone attack occurred. He succumbed to his injuries from the strike. Yeryomin had been filming a story about anti-drone warfare in the area when the Ukrainian drone dropped an explosive device on him and his crew.

Russian officials strongly condemned the attack on Yeryomin. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov and Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described it as a deliberate, cold-blooded murder that showcases the "ugly terrorist nature" of the Ukrainian authorities. Peskov stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have deliberately targeted Russian journalists, with several losing their lives since the start of the military operation over two years ago.

Why this matters: The killing of Semyon Yeryomin highlights the dangers faced by war correspondents covering the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It also further strains the already tense relations between Russia and Ukraine, with Russian officials accusing Ukraine of deliberately targeting journalists.

Russia has criticized the West for not responding to Yeryomin's killing and other alleged attacks by Ukrainian forces on medical and rescue teams. Konstantin Gavrilov, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, raised these issues at a plenary meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation. The death of Semyon Yeryomin, a respected journalist posthumously honored by President Putin, has drawn hundreds of mourners and strong condemnation from Russian officials who see it as a "deliberate, cold-blooded murder" by Ukrainian forces.

Key Takeaways

• Semyon Yeryomin, a Russian war correspondent, killed by Ukrainian drone strike in Zaporizhzhia.
• Yeryomin posthumously awarded Order of Courage by Putin, hundreds attended his funeral.
• Russian officials condemned attack as "deliberate, cold-blooded murder" by Ukrainian authorities.
• Russia accuses Ukraine of deliberately targeting Russian journalists, several have died since 2021.
• Killing highlights dangers faced by war correspondents and further strains Russia-Ukraine relations.