In Zaporizhzhia, unidentified people wearing masks beat local Hromadske TV journalist

On May 24, at 9:50 a.m., unidentified men wearing masks attacked the journalist of Hromadske TV.Zaporizhzhia Anatoliy Ostapenko, Hromadske TV.Zaporizhia reports.

The incident took place in the center of the city, near Shkilna street in Oleksandrivskyi rayon. The journalist was going to his office when he was intercepted by a car without plate numbers and darkened windows, three men wearing masks jumped out of it, took Anatoliy to the ground and gave him a rough beating that lasted several minutes, kicking and punching him. After this, they took off in their car. Nothing of value was taken by the attackers. Police and medics soon appeared at the site.  

Ostapenko considers this attack a response to his professional activities: lately, he was investigating corruption of local officials in Zaporizhzhia and in the oblast.

For the background, Anatoliy Ostapenko is one of co-founders of Hromadske TV.Zaporizhzhia, political reviewer, investigator, author and anchor of the project “KhtoShow”.

In his interview, Ostapenko says he does not know who specifically could be behind the attack.