Italian journalist wounded by Russians disregarded the Ukrainian soldiers' warnings – CSC

The Center for Strategic Communications says that Corrado Zunino, the reporter for the Italian newspaper La Repubblica who was wounded by the Russians in Kherson on April 26, disregarded the warnings by the Ukrainian military. This is mentioned in the Center's statement, posted on its Telegram channel.

The media workers were ambushed, most likely by Russian snipers, the Center notes. Ukrainian assistant reporter Bohdan Bitik was killed by the enemy's attack on the Antonivsky Bridge.

"Zunino did not inform the press officers that he was going to work in the city. And when he was on the site, he ignored the Ukrainian military warning him about the danger and shouting, 'Danger, Sir!'" says the Center.

Also, the Center notes, as the leader of the crew, it was Zunino's obligation to ensure that a member of his group was not just in a vest with the PRESS badge, but had bulletproof armor on him. However, the Italian violated the rules of conduct for journalists in wartime.

"In any case, the murder and injury of the journalists is another war crime by the Russian Federation," the Center for Strategic Communications notes.

As IMI reported, on April 26, the Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that their correspondent Corrado Zunino had been wounded in a Russian attack. At the time of the attack, he was with the fixer Bohdan Bitik, who was killed.

According to IMI's sources in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Bitik had no bulletproof vest and was wearing only a vest with a "Press" badge. The Italian correspondent, however, was wearing a bulletproof vest.

Law enforcers have started a pre-trial investigation into the wounding of Corrado Zunino, a reporter with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. A case for violation of the laws and customs of war (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) has been opened.

According to the investigation, on April 26, Russian troops opened fire in the area of the Antonivsky Bridge near Kherson, resulting in the death of a civilian. A foreign publication's correspondent who was working on a report about life in the city received a gunshot wound to the shoulder.