Ukrainian Drone Strike Claims Life of RIA Novosti Correspondent in Occupied Zaporizhzhia

A correspondent for Russian state media was fatally struck by a Ukrainian drone in the Moscow-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, as reported on Thursday by his organization, the news agency RIA Novosti.

«Military correspondent Ivan Zuev from RIA Novosti was killed in the Zaporizhzhia area, while his colleague Yuri Voitkevich sustained serious injuries,» the agency stated.

They noted that Zuev lost his life «while on assignment due to a strike from a Ukrainian drone.»

Having been with RIA Novosti for several years, Zuev had earned multiple state honors, the agency added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has conveyed its condolences regarding Zuev’s death and has expressed hopes for a swift recovery for Voitkevich, according to RIA Novosti.

Just a fortnight prior, French photojournalist Antoni Lallican was killed while covering events near the front lines in the eastern region of Donetsk, Ukraine.

His Ukrainian colleague, Georgiy Ivanchenko, was injured in the same incident.

Human rights organizations report that nearly twenty journalists have perished in Ukraine since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Among those lost was AFP video journalist Arman Soldin, who was killed by rocket fire in 2023.