The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), based in New York, issued a strong statement regarding the airstrikes by the Russian Federation carried out on August 28 in Ukraine. As a result of these strikes, the premises of three editorial offices were damaged, including the office of Radio Free Europe.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Damage to Media Offices in Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk Region
According to official reports, in Kyiv, Russian drones and missiles destroyed the offices of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and the independent publication “Ukrainska Pravda.” Additionally, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, a drone strike caused damage to the office of the local newspaper “Mezhivskyi Meridian.” No staff members or journalists were harmed during the shelling.
Risks for Journalists and the Response of the International Community
“Today’s devastating attack by Russia on Ukraine, which resulted in damage to at least three media offices, is a stark reminder of the risks faced by journalists working and living in the country. These strikes demonstrate that the safety of journalists remains a serious issue, regardless of how far they are from the front lines. We strongly condemn these attacks and call on Russia to immediately cease attacks on civilian infrastructure,” noted CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said.
For more than three and a half years of full-scale war, Russia has repeatedly carried out targeted attacks on media offices across Ukraine. As a result of the shelling, journalists have been injured while performing their professional duties, and their homes have been destroyed. During this period, starting from February 2022, at least 18 journalists and media workers have died while carrying out reporting assignments in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation ignored the Committee to Protect Journalists’ request for an official comment, which was sent via email.