NewsGuild Statement on the Death of Fox News Cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski and Ukrainian Journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova

Updated 7:40 p.m. ET

The NewsGuild-CWA decries the death of Fox News cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova, who were killed Monday in Ukraine in an attack that also injured Fox Correspondent Benjamin Hall. Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova are the second and third journalist killed in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the last two days. As least 636 other civilians have also been killed, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Fox said Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova were killed when the vehicle they and Hall were riding in was “struck by incoming fire.” The network said that Zakrzewski, 55, who was based in London, had “covered nearly every international story for Fox News from Iraq to Afghanistan to Syria during his long tenure with us.” Kuvshynova, 24, was working as a consultant for Fox.

Their death follows a ramped-up propaganda campaign by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the passage of a law that makes it illegal for journalists in Russia to call the invasion a “war.” As a result of the restrictions, several news outlets have stopped reporting inside Russia. 

Journalists run to danger to fulfill our vital mission as witnesses to history. We do that work to protect democracy through transparency while holding power to account. The deaths of Pierre and Oleksandra are a tragic loss. Our hearts go out to their friends and family. 

This story was updated to include the death of Oleksandra Kuvshynova, which had not been reported when the story was first published.