A French journalist was killed by Russian shelling whereas reporting on the civilian evacuation efforts within the Luhansk area of jap Ukraine, the Governor of Luhansk Oblast reported on Monday.

In a Telegram put up, regional Governor Serhiy Haidai said that the evacuation was halted after the dying of French journalist Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff.

"At present our armored evacuation car was going to select up 10 folks from the world and got here beneath enemy fireplace," the Telegram put up stated. "Shrapnel from shells pierced the armor of the automobile, a deadly wound to the neck was obtained by an accredited French journalist who was making materials in regards to the evacuation."

"We're formally stopping the evacuation," the put up learn. The Telegram put up additionally had a number of graphic photographs of his physique laying on the street and a shattered bus window.

In accordance with Reuters, the French overseas ministry is checking the report on Leclerc-Imhoff's dying.

UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT
A French journalist was reportedly killed by Russian shelling whereas reporting on the evacuation efforts in Luhansk. On this picture, the stays of a destroyed faculty through which Ukrainian officers say 60 folks sheltering in a basement died following a Russian army strike on the village of Bilogorivka, Lugansk area, jap Ukraine, is pictured on Might 13, 2022. YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP by way of Getty Pictures

The spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Overseas Affairs, Oleg Nikolenko, wrote on Twitter on Monday that the Ministry "strongly condemn[s] this killing. The record of Russian crimes towards media employees in Ukraine retains increasing."

In accordance with the Committee to Shield Journalists, a nonprofit group, Leclerc-Imhoff is at the very least the eighth journalist to be killed in Ukraine whereas overlaying the warfare for the reason that begin of the invasion on February 24, though extra might be unconfirmed.

The journalist's dying falls on the day the French Overseas Minister, Catherine Colonna, visited Kyiv to fulfill with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with the intention to talk about France's help of Ukraine.

On Monday, Colonna tweeted, "I'm deeply saddened & shocked by the dying of our compatriot Frédéric Leclerc Imhoff, killed by a Russian bombardment on a humanitarian operation whereas exercising his responsibility to tell. All my ideas are together with his household, colleagues and journalists."

The Overseas Minister added that she spoke with Haidai and Zelensky, "who assured me of their assist and help" in requesting a proper investigation into Imhoff's dying.

"It's a double crime which targets a humanitarian convoy and a journalist," Colonna stated.

French President Emmanuel Macron commented on Leclerc-Imhoff's dying as nicely, writing on Twitter, "I share the ache of the household, relations and colleagues of Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, to whom I ship my condolences. To those that perform the troublesome mission of informing in theaters of operations, I wish to reiterate France's unconditional help."

The area of Luhansk has been beneath fireplace from Russian forces and Ukrainian officers reported final week that Russia has gained the benefit within the space, saying that greater than 40 cities within the jap Donetsk and Luhansk areas and the cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk got here beneath bombardment.

Newsweek reached out to the Ministry for Europe and Overseas Affairs and the Ukrainian Ministry of Overseas Affairs for remark.

Replace 5/30/2022 at 11:00 a.m.: This story has been up to date with the journalist's id.

Replace 5/30/2022 at 11:50 a.m.: This story has been up to date with further info.