Russian War Reporter Killed and Others Wounded in Ukraine Conflict
July 22 (Reuters) – A Russian war reporter was killed and three others were wounded in Ukraine on Saturday in what the Russian defense ministry claims was a Ukrainian attack using cluster munitions. The incident has sparked outrage from Moscow.
In a separate incident, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported that one of its journalists, Yevgeny Shilko, was wounded in another Russian attack with cluster munitions, which also claimed the life of a Ukrainian soldier.
The use of cluster bombs has come under scrutiny after Ukraine received supplies of them from the United States earlier this month. Many countries have banned the use of cluster munitions due to the risk they pose to civilians as they scatter shrapnel over a wide area. Additionally, some bomblets within the cluster munitions may fail to explode immediately and can remain a danger for years.
Reuters has not been able to independently verify the use of cluster munitions in either incident on Saturday. Both sides have been accused of using these weapons throughout Russia’s 17-month invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian journalist who was killed has been identified as Rostislav Zhuravlev, a war correspondent for the state news agency RIA. His three colleagues were safely evacuated after coming under fire in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, according to the defense ministry.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned what she called “criminal terror” by Ukraine and claimed, without providing evidence, that the attack appeared deliberate.
Zakharova stated, “Those responsible for the brutal reprisal against a Russian journalist will inevitably suffer well-deserved punishment. The entire measure of responsibility will be shared by those who supplied cluster munitions to their Kyiv protégés.”
As of now, there has been no official response from Ukraine regarding the incident.
Ukraine has previously pledged to use cluster munitions only to target concentrations of enemy soldiers. The White House national security spokesman, John Kirby, confirmed this week that Ukrainian forces were using cluster munitions appropriately and effectively against Russian formations.
Russian lawmakers have criticized the use of cluster munitions, calling it “inhuman,” and placing responsibility on both Ukraine and the United States. However, their reactions ignore the fact that Russia has also been documented using cluster bombs in the war by human rights groups and the United Nations.
Human Rights Watch, a U.S.-based organization, reported in May that Russian forces had used cluster munitions in attacks that caused numerous civilian casualties and extensive damage to homes, hospitals, and schools.
Reporting by Mark Trevelyan, Caleb Davis, and Olena Harmash
Editing by Frances Kerry