Russian journalist killed, three wounded near Ukraine front line

The Russian Defense Ministry said reporters had evacuated the battlefield, but RIA correspondent Rostislav Zhuravlev died en route.

A war correspondent for the Russian RIA news agency was killed and three other Russian journalists wounded in artillery fire near the front line in the Zaporizhia region of southeastern Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The ministry said journalists were injured in Saturday’s artillery shelling by Ukrainian forces. They evacuated from the battlefield, but RIA correspondent Rostislav Zhuravlev died en route.

The agency also reported his death, saying he was killed near the frontline village of Piatihatki.

“As a result of the attack by the Ukrainian military using cluster munitions, four journalists suffered various serious injuries,” the Russian military said in a statement.

“RIA Novosti journalist Rostislav Zhuravlev died of injuries from a cluster munition explosion during evacuation.”

Other correspondents said he had “moderately severe” injuries.

The Defense Ministry said Ukraine used cluster munitions in the incident, but did not provide evidence of that, which Reuters could not independently verify.

Ukraine received cluster munitions from the United States this month, but promised to use them only to eliminate concentrated enemy soldiers.

Such weapons, which contain dozens of small projectiles that rain debris over a wide area, are banned in many countries due to their potential danger to civilians. Ukraine has repeatedly said its use will be limited to the battlefield.

The United Nations said Russia itself had repeatedly used cluster bombs during the war.