US Journalist Killed By Russian Troops In Ukraine, Kyiv Police Chief Says

An American journalist has been shot and killed by Russian forces outside of Kyiv, Ukrainian police have said.

Brent Renaud, 51, was working in Ukraine as a video journalist. At least one other journalist was reportedly injured in the incident, which is understood to have occurred in Irpen, a northwestern suburb of the capital that has been the scene of heavy fighting over the past week.

In a statement, Kyiv region police chief Andriy Nebytov said: 'The occupants [cynically] kill even journalists of the international media who try to show the truth about the inaction of Russian troops in Ukraine. A 51-year-old world-renowned media correspondent was shot in Irpen today... US citizen Brent Renaud paid his life for trying to highlight the aggressor's ingenuity, cruelty and ruthlessness.'

The New York Times, who Renaud had previously worked for but was not on assignment with in Ukraine, confirmed the news of Renaud's death, with the paper's managing editor Cliff Levy tweeting '@nytimes is deeply saddened to learn of the death of an American journalist in Ukraine, Brent Renaud.'

Although he was not working for the New York Times, Renaud had been carrying a press card issued to him by the newspaper several years ago in order to identify himself as a journalist to Ukrainian and Russian forces.

In a statement, the Times described him as 'a talented filmmaker and photographer.'

Another journalist who was injured in the attack told the Italian newspaper Internazionale that they had passed a checkpoint on their way to film refugees evacuating Irpen when the car they were travelling in came under fire.

Brent's death is a terrible loss. Brave journalists like Brent take tremendous risks to bear witness and to tell the world about the devastation and suffering caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

— Cliff Levy (@cliffordlevy) March 13, 2022

A US journalist on the scene tweeted 'Just left roadside spot near Irpin where body of American journalist Brent Renaud lay under a blanket. Ukrainian medics could do nothing to help him by that stage.'

The incident comes just days after a team of reporters working for Sky News were shot at by Russian troops near Bucha, outside of Kyiv. Multiple other journalists have reported experiencing close encounters with Russian forces while attempting to report on the war in Ukraine.

There have also been unconfirmed reports that at least two local journalists have been kidnapped in the Russian occupied city of Kherson.

Under the Geneva Conventions journalists are considered civilians and are protected under international humanitarian law.

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