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11/02/2024 05:27:06 pm

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Two Russian Journalists Killed in Ukraine Crossfire

(Photo : Reuters / Yannis Behrakis) A pro-Russia rebel sniper takes cover behind a tree near a government-run building in eastern Donetsk.

Two Russian journalists were killed on Tuesday from mortar fire in Ukraine, according to state-run media.

Russia's VGTRK correspondent Igor Kornelyuk and sound engineer Anton Voloshin were reportedly filming Ukrainian refugees fleeing the area near eastern Luhansk, said cameramen Viktor Denisov who was not with the two when the mortar fire began, AP reported.

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A group of terrorists had engaged Ukrainian troops near the area. Ten terrorists were killed and many were injured during the battle, said Ukraine's U.N. ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev.

Kornelyuk had later died at a Luhansk hospital during surgery. Voloshin was missing throughout most of the day but was later confirmed by media to have died from the incident late evening.

According to Sergeyev, Kornelyuk was only identified as a Russian journalist when he was brought to the hospital and said that he had not complied with Ukraine's regulation for journalists to wear identification, armored vests and helmets.

"They didn't follow that so they performed at their own risks."

Russian officials have expressed outrage and demanded for accountability over the deaths.

In response, Sergeyev and Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko ordered an investigation into the deaths of the journalists. The U.N. Security Council responded that the investigation should also cover violence against all media personnel, citing the death of an Italian photojournalist and a Russian interpreter last month.

The conflict between pro-Russia separatists and the Kiev government has been going on for close to two months, with much of it centered in Luhansk. On Monday, a government-run building in Luhansk was attacked by rebels that resulted in seven deaths, CNN has learned.

The Ukraine governments, together with the other governments including the U.S. and Germany have called on Russia to stop supplying the rebels with military arms after it was confirmed that heavy weapons from Russia have crossed the border into Ukraine. Moreover, the U.S. warned Russia on Monday that it is cooperating with the European Union to impose further sanctions on Moscow if it continues to "destabilize eastern Ukraine," according to AFP.

Russia has denied the allegations while the rebels claim their tanks were stolen from Ukrainian forces.

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