MOSCOW, May 7 (RIA Novosti) – Ukrainian troops have opened fire with mortars on Russian journalists from the LifeNews channel near the eastern city of Slaviansk, a statement on the broadcaster’s website said Wednesday.
“Ukrainian troops opened massed intense fire on Russian reporters in Donetsk region,” the statement said.
“Minutes before the mortar attack [reporter] Alexei Kazannikov informed us that not far from the roadblock Ukrainian troops had camouflaged several Grad rocket systems. Reports were coming about Kiev planning to use multiple rocket launchers against self-defense forces,” the statement added.
A representative of the local self-defense forces said earlier that Ukrainian troops were firing mortars at the roadblock of Slaviansk activists. In the video footage revealed by LifeNews, smoke and running reporters are seen. A correspondent said that they were forced to change shooting location due to the mortar fire, initiated “on the other side by national guards.”
According to the Donetsk Regional Administration, in the course of Kiev’s special operation, eight people were killed and 16 seriously injured in Slaviansk on Tuesday.
Over the last two months, reporters of Russia's leading channels have been not only denied access to Ukraine, but also kidnapped, beaten and threatened. Broadcasting of Russian media has also been banned across the country.
The OSCE voiced concerns over the alarming situation of media freedom violations in Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also repeatedly condemned Kiev's censorship policies.
