The head of the Lugansk Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Gaidai, reported Monday that a French journalist has died as a result of an attack by Russian troops in the city of Severodonetsk, in the east of the country.
The journalist, who has been identified as Frédéric Léclerc-Imhoff, works for the French network BFM TV and was inside a vehicle that "was preparing to evacuate a dozen people in an area that has come under enemy fire." , as explained by Gaidai in a statement released through his Telegram account.
Thus, he explained that Léclerc-Imhoff would have suffered a fatal neck injury after several projectiles and shrapnel hit the vehicle in question. "Our condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Frédéric Léclerc-Imhoff," he said.
Shortly before, Gaidai had reported two civilians dead and five wounded in a bombing on the outskirts of the town. In addition, he has warned that "strong clashes" are taking place in the area as Russian troops have entered areas in the southeast and northeast of the city.
The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, accused Russia late on Sunday of damaging 90% of the houses in the city of Severodonetsk and warned that the attackers wanted to raise their flag on the Severodonetsk administration building, which is located on the Boulevard of Friendship of Nations.
French President Emmanuel Macron lamented on Monday the death of the French journalist. "I share the sorrow of the family, loved ones and colleagues of Frédéric Léclerc-Imhoff, to whom I address my condolences. To those who guarantee the difficult mission of reporting on stage, I once again show my unconditional support from France," he wrote on his Twitter account.
The French president added on the social network that Léclerc-Imhoff was in Ukraine to show "the reality of war" and that he was on a humanitarian bus with civilians forced to flee to escape Russian bombs.
At the same time, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, Catherine Colonna, has requested an investigation into the death of the communicator.
"France demands that an investigation be carried out as soon as possible and with transparency into the circumstances of this drama," Colonna said in a statement.
According to RSF, this would be the second French journalist killed in this conflict, after the Franco-Irish cameraman for Fox News, Pierre Zakrzewski, and the eighth informant killed in Ukraine since February 24.
