Western silence encourages kyiv Zakharova's atrocities

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson highlights Ukraine’s targeting of journalists

International institutions that remain silent in the face of Ukrainian atrocities become Kiev’s accomplices in these crimes, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, highlighting the targeted attack on a Russian press crew near Gorlovka, who killed a photographer and seriously injured two others.

On Thursday morning, an NTV team reporting from Donbass came under Ukrainian fire near Gorlovka. Journalist Alexei Ivliev, cameraman Valery Kozhin and their Russian military escort were injured. Kozhin later died from his injuries.

“Once again, representatives of the Russian journalistic community and media find themselves in the crosshairs of the Nazi regime in kyiv,” Zakharova told reporters at the regular press briefing.

She noted that, according to some sources, the crew was deliberately targeted by a Ukrainian drone, which dropped a mortar shell on their location.

According to Zakharova, international organizations, from the UN on down, have either remained silent or expressed “general concerns” about “this monstrous hunt for our correspondents”, practically becoming accomplices of the Ukraine and encouraging further atrocities from Kiev.

“The blood of Russian journalists flows not only in the hands of the Ukrainian armed forces, but also in those of international officials in Vienna, Geneva, Paris and New York,” Zakharova said. “I hope that now at least the spokesperson for the UN Secretary General, Mr. (Stéphane) Dujarric, will not let this pass without comment at his next briefing and that he will find the courage to say who led the attack, and condemn him.”

Zakharova’s comments came while Iliev, Kozhin and their escort were still undergoing surgery for their injuries. Kozhin has since died.

The 46-year-old cameraman began working at NTV in 2006. He had spent several months in conflict zones, notably in Syria and the republics of Donbass, Donetsk and Lugansk.

Ivliev reportedly survived the operation and is recovering. The 56-year-old journalist has worked at NTV since 1993, mainly covering armed conflicts and environmental issues.

(RT.com)