Fox News cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski was killed yesterday in Horenka, Ukraine, outside Kyiv, Fox News officials say in statement. He was with Benjamin Hall, who was reported wounded yesterday. Their vehicle came under fire, Fox says.
RIP.
"Pierre was a war zone photographer who covered nearly every international story for FOX News from Iraq to Afghanistan to Syria during his long tenure with us. His passion and talent as a journalist were unmatched."
"Based in London, Pierre had been working in Ukraine since February. His talents were vast and there wasn’t a role that he didn’t jump in to help w/ in the field — from photographer to engineer to editor to producer — & he did it all under immense pressure with tremendous skill."
"He was profoundly committed to telling the story and his bravery, professionalism and work ethic were renowned among journalists at every media outlet. He was wildly popular – everyone in the media industry who has covered a foreign story knew and respected Pierre."
"Last year, he played a key role in getting our Afghan freelance associates and their families out of the country after the U.S. withdrawal. In December at our annual employee Spotlight Awards, Pierre was given the 'Unsung Hero' award in recognition of his invaluable work."
"Jay Wallace said it best this morning – 'Pierre was a constant in all of our international coverage. I, like countless others, always felt an extra sense of reassurance when arriving on the scene and seeing him with camera in hand.'
"'The legacy of his positive spirit, boundless energy and eye for the story will carry on.'
"We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre’s wife Michelle and family — please keep them all in your prayers."
"And please continue to pray for Benjamin Hall, who remains hospitalized in Ukraine. We will continue to be in touch with any further updates as needed."
"Today is a heartbreaking day for FOX News Media and for all journalists risking their lives to deliver the news. I leave you with pictures of Pierre in the field doing what he loved."
A Ukrainian journalist, Oleksandra Kuvshynova, also was killed in the attack. RIP.
A background briefing about the Russian war on Ukraine with a senior U.S. defense official has just concluded.
It’s Day 21 of the invasion, and there are a few significant updates:
First, the Pentagon assesses today that Russian warships are now shelling areas around Odessa, a major port city in southwestern Ukraine.
Other naval activity also has increased, with Russian landing craft moving around but not going ashore, the senior defense official said.
It’s still unclear if Russia will attempt an amphibious landing on or near Odessa. Russia launched one amphibious landing farther east early in the landing, but it was small and on an uncontested shoreline, the senior defense official said.
With @SecDef and his team in transit to Europe today, there is no background briefing at the Pentagon today about the war in Ukraine. The Pentagon has just released this, though:
"On day 20 of Russia’s war, we continue to assess limited to no progress by Russian ground forces in achieving their objectives."
"Kyiv remains under bombardment by long range fires, with civilian targets - to include residential areas - being struck with increasing frequency. But leading elements of Russian forces have not appreciably advanced on the city."
A background briefing at the Pentagon about the Russian war on Ukraine just finished. It’s Day 19 of the war.
Basic takeaways:
I’ll start with the strikes Sunday on the Ukrainian military training center at Yavoriv, near the border with Poland.
A senior U.S. defense official says they were carried out by cruise missiles launched from long-range Russian bombers from Russian airspace.
Note: That’s different than speculation and some reporting yesterday that they were carried out by sea-launched missiles from Russian ships. Those are still quite rare in this war.
The base in western Ukraine that Russia just hit with missiles had been home since 2015 to a rotational presence of U.S. troops who were training Ukrainian forces about a half-hour drive from the border with Poland in Yavirov. The Americans withdrew last month.
That U.S. unit, Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine, most recently included about 150 members of the Florida National Guard. They were reassigned elsewhere in Europe as it became evident that Russia was likely to invade.
Even prior to the establishment of the rotational deployments in 2015, Western forces, including Americans, had used the base to train Ukrainians after the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014. This hit comes with significant symbolism.
Despite risks, U.S. veterans reckon with joining Ukrainian war effort
In which me, @AlexHortonTX@phscoop and @JHBaran put heads together and try to make sense of who's among the Americans heading to the war against Russia without U.S. approval.
We found several kinds of participants. Many want nothing to do with combat in this war, but want to help. Others are spoiling to join the Ukrainians in taking on the Russians directly.
One of the individuals we talked to is Angel Raymond Luna, 30, arrested late last month in D.C. outside the Ukrainian embassy with weapons. He'd draped himself in the American flag and stood at attention outside in his body armor. Drew police attention nearly immediately.