Sputnik Journalist Dies From Cluster Bomb Wounds During Evacuation - Russian Defense Ministry

The Russian Defense Ministry said that four journalists received wounds of varying degrees of severity as a result of the Ukrainian strike with cluster munitions.

Sputnik journalist Rostislav Zhuravlev died during evacuation from injuries caused by cluster submunition explosion, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"The journalists [shelled by Ukrainian artillery forces] were promptly evacuated to field medical facilities of the Russian Defense Ministry, where they are receiving qualified medical assistance. During the evacuation, Rostislav Zhuravlev, a journalist with the Sputnik news agency, died from injuries caused by a cluster submunition explosion," the ministry said.

The ministry added that the health condition of other journalists was moderately serious, stable, there was no threat to their life and they were provided with all necessary medical assistance.

Earlier in the day, Sputnik correspondent reported that military journalist Rostislav Zhuravlev was killed by Ukrainian shelling in the special operation zone. In addition, Sputnik photojournalist Konstantin Mikhalchevsky was injured.

A group of journalists came under fire near the village of Pyatikhatki in the Zaporozhye Region.

According to preliminary data, a journalist from another Russian media outlet, Izvestia newspaper, was also wounded.

The newspaper reported that Izvestia correspondent Roman Polshakov received shrapnel wounds and fractured his leg in the combat zone in Ukraine, while TV channel's cameraman Dmitry Shikov also received shrapnel wounds and fractured his hip bones. They are now getting proper medical care.

Ukraine Launches Artillery Strike Against Russian Journalists - MoD

The Russian Defense Ministry also said that the Ukrainian forces launched an artillery strike against a group of Sputnik and Izvestia journalist "who were gathering information on the Ukrainian army's artillery shelling with cluster munitions of settlements in Zaporozhye region."

The cluster munitions that the US provided to Ukraine have already been deployed in the field, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby confirmed on Thursday. Ukrainians have utilized cluster munitions appropriately and effectively, Kirby said.

Dmitry Kiselev, the director general of Rossiya Segodnya, called Zhuravlev an "experienced professional" and said that the war correspondent was always first to deliver accurate and important data from dangerous areas.

The head of the Russian Union of Journalists, Vladimir Solovyov, has expressed condolences to the family and colleagues of the deceased and said that the union was ready to offer necessary assistance.

"The work of a military correspondent is one of the most dangerous in the world, one of the most dangerous fields of journalism. Sometimes we all lose our friends. I express my deepest condolences to the colleagues, family, and loved ones on behalf of the Russian Union of Journalists. I hope that the injured colleague will recover shortly," Solovyov said.

Sputnik is part of the Rossiya Segodnya international media group.