Emmanuel Macron has confirmed the death of Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, a French journalist killed on Monday in the Donbass.
The information had been announced by the governor of Lugansk, but without confirmation. Monday afternoon, Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, a BFMTV journalist killed in the morning in the Donbass. “Journalist, Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff was in Ukraine to show the reality of the war. On board a humanitarian bus, alongside civilians forced to flee to escape Russian bombs, he was fatally shot,” wrote the French president. “I share the pain of the family, relatives and colleagues of Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, to whom I send my condolences. To those who ensure the difficult mission of informing in the theaters of operations, I would like to reiterate France’s unconditional support”, he added.
I share the pain of the family, relatives and colleagues of Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, to whom I send my condolences. To those who carry out the difficult mission of informing in theaters of operations, I would like to reiterate France’s unconditional support.
—Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 30, 2022
An hour earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko had tweeted: “Russian military is targeting a vehicle that was supposed to evacuate civilians from a war zone in Severodonetsk. A French journalist covering the mission was killed. We strongly condemn this murder. The list of Russian crimes against the media in Ukraine continues to grow.”
Russian army shells a vehicle which was supposed to evacuate civilians from the war zone near Severodonetsk. A French journalist covering the mission has been killed. We strongly condemn this killing. The list of Russian crimes against media workers in Ukraine keeps expanding.
— Oleg Nikolenko (@OlegNikolenko_) May 30, 2022
The death of Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff had been announced at the end of the morning by the governor of the Lugansk region Serhiy Hayday. According to him, the French journalist had been fatally hit in the neck by shrapnel during an explosion targeting the convoy on board which he was. The Ukrainian representative had also shared images of the scene on Telegram, showing the bloodied vehicle and the lifeless body on the ground, its face blurred.
He was 32 years old and had worked for BFMTV for 6 years
“Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff was the victim of a shrapnel, while he was following a humanitarian operation in an armored vehicle,” confirmed the news channel. “Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff was 32 years old, he had worked for BFMTV for 6 years, it was his second mission in Ukraine”, she added to the antenna.
This news comes as French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna is in Ukraine on Monday. She traveled to Boucha and kyiv, where she is to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. She gathered with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in front of the wall of the dead for Ukraine.
With my friend @DmytroKuleba in front of the wall to the dead for the#Ukraine.
France has the greatest admiration for the courage of the Ukrainian people who are fighting for freedom. #WeStandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/VXf8J8JJBt
—Catherine Colonna (@MinColonna) May 30, 2022