Pierre Zakrzewski, a veteran Fox News journalist who was an Irish citizen, has been killed in Ukraine.
Zakrzewski, 55, was traveling with Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall when their vehicle came under fire outside of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on Monday. Hall was injured and remains hospitalized. Another journalist, Ukrainian woman Oleksandra Kuvshinova, was also reportedly killed in the attack.
Suzanne Scott, the chief executive of Fox News Media, confirmed Zakrzewski’s death in a company memo on Tuesday: "It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we share the news this morning regarding our beloved cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski.
"Pierre was a war zone photographer who covered nearly every international story for FOX News from Iraq to Afghanistan to Syria during his long tenure with us," she added.
"His passion and talent as a journalist were unmatched. Based in London, Pierre had been working in Ukraine since February."
"His talents were vast and there wasn’t a role that he didn’t jump in to help with in the field — from photographer to engineer to editor to producer — and he did it all under immense pressure with tremendous skill," Scott continued.
"He was profoundly committed to telling the story and his bravery, professionalism and work ethic were renowned among journalists at every media outlet.
"He was wildly popular – everyone in the media industry who has covered a foreign story knew and respected Pierre."
Jay Wallace, Fox News president and executive editor, said: "Pierre was a constant in all of our international coverage.
"I, like countless others, always felt an extra sense of reassurance when arriving on the scene and seeing him with camera in hand.
"The legacy of his positive spirit, boundless energy, and eye for the story will carry on."
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who is this week in Washington, DC ahead of his St. Patrick’s Day meeting with US President Joe Biden, said on Twitter that he was “deeply disturbed and saddened” by the Irish citizen’s death:
Deeply disturbed and saddened by the killing of Irish citizen and journalist Pierre Zakrzewski and one of his colleagues today.
My thoughts are with their families, friends and fellow journalists.
We condemn this indiscriminate and immoral war by Russia on #Ukraine.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 15, 2022
St. Conleth's College in Dublin also paid tribute to its past pupil:
It is great sadness that St. Conleth's College acknolwledegs the tragic passing of Past Pupil Pierre Zakrzewski (Class of 1984) in the Ukraine. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. (Pierre stands in the back row of his graduating class, third from right.) pic.twitter.com/z1VNPzjhco
— Stconleths (@Saintconleths) March 15, 2022
Simon Coveney, Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, said: "The killing of all citizens through this reckless war is deplorable, and I also wish to strongly condemn the targeting of journalists who have been working bravely to shine a light on the plight of Ukraine since the outbreak of hostilities."
He said Ireland "once again calls on Russia to bring an end to this war".
"We will continue to demand accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law," he added.
Zakrzewski’s death occurred the day after 50-year-old American filmmaker and journalist Brent Renaud was shot and killed while reporting in a suburb of Kyiv.
The Irish government today confirmed a number of measures in response to the situation in Ukraine, including plans to accept from Moldova up to 500 people who have fled from Ukraine given the extreme pressure being faced by Moldova in the current circumstances.
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