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Journalists' vehicle attacked by Russians on Zaporizhzhia front – video

Friday, 17 January 2025, 15:40
Journalists' vehicle attacked by Russians on Zaporizhzhia front – video
The Ukrainian journalists. Screenshot from a video by Detector Media

Marharyta Potapova, a journalist for the Ukrainian Witness project, and cameraman Oleksandr Davydenko were travelling on the Zaporizhzhia front when their vehicle was attacked by a Russian drone.

Source: Detector Media, citing a report by Ukrainian Witness 

Quote from Potapova: "We arrived at the positions of the mortar crew of the 3rd Operational (Spartan) Brigade. The guys said the drone had been tracking us from a certain point on the journey. It dropped a VOG [a fragmentation munition – ed.], and I was slightly deafened, while the press officer was hit by fragments, but we’re alive. We came to film the soldiers’ work and find out if there were assaults happening on the Zaporizhzhia front."

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Details: Ukrainian Witness said the team had heard the sound of a drone as they were driving. Initially they were unconcerned, as drones operated by Ukrainian troops usually accompany travel between positions. But this one was a Russian drone, and it dropped a VOG munition on the car as the soldiers and journalists were getting out, damaging the vehicle's electronic warfare system.

Following the initial attack, the team took cover in a forested area, which shielded them from a second strike. A mortarman who goes by the alias Chornyi provided first aid to the injured press officer in a trench.

Shortly afterwards, the Ukrainian Witness team said, the Russians started to shell the positions with targeted mortar fire.

Quote from Potapova: "The shells were landing very close; I was terrified. Not for myself, but for the others. Later, the soldiers said they were surprised I didn't scream. I’ll take that as a compliment.

The return trip was even scarier because we were still under enemy observation, despite taking a different route. I could hear the sound of a drone the whole time, but when you’re worried for others rather than yourself, the fear fades. After we got out, the soldiers admitted they’d been scared too. But the fact that we had a fighter with us, Fartovyi [Lucky– ed.], also helped us to stay alive."

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