Dmytro Yevchyn, a correspondent for the Crimea.Realities project of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, was wounded after he and a colleague were caught in a Russian artillery attack while reporting in the southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhya.
Yevchyn was filming a video report along with cameraman Mykyta Isayko near the town of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhya region on January 17 when the attack occurred.
He sustained a shrapnel wound to his leg and received medical assistance from Ukrainian soldiers before being transported to a hospital in the regional capital, Zaporizhzhya.
Medical personnel told RFE/RL that Yevchyn underwent successful surgery on his leg, though he remains in intensive care.
Ukrainian troops from the 10th Army Corps accused Russian forces of targeting the journalists, who had special jackets with "Press" clearly written on them.
"In modern wars, artillery attacks are almost never carried out without the assistance of drones. Meanwhile, the armed forces of the Russian Federation targeted and attacked a person who wore a jacket with a clear "Press" inscription on it, which guarantees that such a person is under the protection of international humanitarian law," the unit said in a statement.
Yevchyn has worked with the Crimea.Realities project since 2018. His work often covers the life of Ukrainian citizens under Russian occupation in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Yevchyn, along with Isayko, have reported on battles and military developments along the front lines.
According to Ukraine's Institute of Mass Media, since Russia launched its invasion, 70 journalists have been killed, of whom 10 lost their lives while carrying out their journalistic work. According to the institute, 25 journalists have been wounded.
