New Delhi: US-based journalist and filmmaker Brent Renaud was shot dead in Irpin a frontline northwest suburb of Kyiv, Ukraine on Sunday, news agency AFP reported. The information was confirmed by the medics and witnesses present on the spot. Another journalist was wounded along with Renaud who was treated by a medic.
Danylo Shapovalov, a surgeon volunteering for the Ukrainian territorial defence, said Brett Renaud died instantly and he had treated the other journalist.
According to a report by AFP, Brent Renaud was wearing an ID card from the New York Times, but he was not on an assignment for the news organisation.
A statement by New York Times' deputy managing editor Cliff Levy said that the New York Times "is deeply saddened to learn of the death of an American journalist in Ukraine, Brent Renaud. Brent was a talented photographer and filmmaker, but he was not on assignment for @nytimes in Ukraine."
He further added, "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."
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for more than two weeks now. As the Russian forces are nearing the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, by each day, people are fleeing the country leading to a refugee crisis that is affecting Ukraine's neighbouring countries. Till now, the conflict has led to the displacement of nearly 2.2 million people.