(Reuters) – Russia’s Investigative Committee announced on Sunday that it has initiated a criminal investigation into the killing of a Russian war reporter. The incident was previously attributed by the country’s defense ministry to Ukraine’s use of cluster munitions.
The committee, on its website, stated that “armed Ukrainian formations targeted and intentionally fired at a group of Russian journalists” who were working near Pyatikhatka in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.
Although it did not provide specific details regarding the type of weapons or munitions used, it confirmed that RIA state news agency journalist Rostislav Zhuravlev was killed during the attack. Additionally, his RIA colleague and journalist Konstantin Mikhalchevsky, along with two employees from Izvestia newspaper named Roman Polshakov and Dmitry Shikov, were injured.
“As part of the investigation, investigators will uncover all the circumstances surrounding the crime committed against media representatives, as well as those responsible,” stated the committee.
The committee also mentioned that the chair of the committee has nominated Zhuravlev, “one of those journalists who always defended and reported the truth,” for a medal as a tribute.
Ukraine, which recently received supplies of cluster munitions from the United States, vowed to solely utilize them to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the specifics of the incident. Both sides have employed cluster munitions throughout Russia’s 17-month invasion of Ukraine.
Cluster munitions are banned in numerous countries due to their shrapnel spreading over a wide area, posing a risk to civilians. Some submunitions often fail to detonate immediately, with the potential to explode years later.
(Reporting by Elaine Monaghan; Editing by Chris Reese)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
