MOSCOW, September 3, (RIA Novosti), Daria Chernyshova – Truth has become one of many victims of the bloody conflict in southeast Ukraine, the International Press Institute (IPI) said, commenting on the death of Rossiya Segodnya photojournalist Andrei Stenin, killed in Ukraine in August.
“We are saddened to learn of Andrei Stenin’s death. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues,” IPI’s senior press freedom adviser Steven Ellis told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
“Truth has been one of the many casualties of this conflict. Kiev and Moscow must ensure that all parties in eastern Ukraine refrain from targeting journalists or other civilians, and allow journalists to operate independently, and free from violence, harassment or intimidation,” Ellis said in a written statement to RIA Novosti.
Earlier on Wednesday, Rossiya Segodnya director general Dmitry Kiselev announced that according to information from the Russian Investigative Committee, Stenin died about a month ago near Donetsk.
The IPI called for a full, transparent investigation into Stenin’s death.
“Given the many conflicting claims about his fate in recent weeks, we urge Ukrainian authorities to conduct – and pro-Russian militants to allow – a full and transparent investigation,” Ellis said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has demanded that Kiev launch a complete and unbiased investigation into Stenin’s murder and called the circumstances of death “shocking.”
“It is with great pain and confusion that we received the information revealing the shocking circumstances of the death of Rossiya Segodnya photojournalist Stenin, who was last heard from by his editorial desk on August 5," the ministry said in a statement.
Stenin went missing in eastern Ukraine on August 5. Sources said that the Ukrainian military could have detained the journalist, but Kiev has never officially confirmed the information.
