UNIAN journalist kicked in stomach during clash in Kyiv oblast

An unidentified man kicked UNIAN correspondent Dmytro Kliuchko in the stomach after trying to grab the journalist’s phone during the 2 November clashes in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka village (Kyiv oblast), Kliuchko told IMI reporter Valentyna Troyan.

According to the correspondent, the incident occurred after the tension near the building had somewhat eased and the mobile filming crews had returned to the scene. Unknown masked men then responded aggressively to the presence of journalists and deliberately tried to take away their equipment.

One of the unidentified men tried to grab Dmytro’s phone. The journalist started running away, fearing there might be other attackers at the scene. During the pursuit, the man kicked him under the ribs on the left side.

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“Another person, this one was masked, you can see him in the video, runs up to me and grabs the phone… I started running at that moment, not knowing how many more attackers there might be, just in case, my phone is worth a decent amount. So I ran quite briskly, and he threw his leg at that moment, and the kick landed under my ribs on the left, in the soft spot. But there was no piercing pain, and I kept running,” Dmytro Kliuchko said.

He also remarked that other journalists and photographers were injured during the clashes. Kliuchko himself did not contact the police or seek medical help after the incident.

UNIAN’s press service told IMI that Dmytro Kliuchko felt fine, having suffered no serious injuries and only experiencing mild muscle pain after the kick.

“The incident occurred while the journalists were carrying out their professional duties. After Kyrylo Budanov left, a group of young men began behaving aggressively towards those at the scene. Later, a girl was heard screaming near a shop, and several journalists, including Dmytro Kliuchko, responded to them,” the outlet said.

The press service stressed that Dmytro Kliuchko carried his press ID. In the released footage, Dmytro states that he is a reporter.

“We regard this incident as obstruction of lawful reporting. Journalists were filming events of public interest, but instead faced physical aggression and an attempt to interfere with their filming. Dmytro says that it may have been the attackers’ unwillingness to be caught on camera that prompted their actions,” the press service remarked.

Previously, Valentyna Moloda, a woman who claimed to be the owner of the MedPrestige clinic during the clash in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka (Kyiv oblast), carried a press ID confirming her affiliation with NGO Plich-o-Plich as an investigative journalist. She was detained by police on 3 November on suspicion of orchestrating a provocation.