Putin thanked Russian journalists for their objectivity in assessments and faith in the country

On December 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked war correspondents and other Russian journalists for their objectivity in assessments and faith in the country.

On that day, the head of state presented state awards in the Kremlin.

"I would like to thank all representatives of the Russian media: those in this hall and those who are now on the front lines in the fighting cities and towns of Donbass and Novorossiya, alongside people in Kursk and Belgorod regions, in other regions of our large united country. Thank you for your work and objectivity in assessing what is happening, for your faith in Russia," Putin said during the award ceremony.

In his speech, Putin noted the professionalism of VGTRK war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny. The head of state presented the journalist with the star of the Hero of Russia.

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Poddubny was wounded on August 7 while covering the situation in Kursk region and was taken to intensive care. The military correspondent was traveling in a car that came under attack by an AFU drone. He underwent prolonged treatment and was discharged from the hospital in early September. On September 30, Putin awarded the journalist the title of Hero of Russia for courage and heroism shown in the performance of official duty.

Before that, on November 13, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that UNESCO ignores the crimes of the Kiev regime against Russian journalists who risk their lives and go to the front line for the sake of the truth. She noted that such silence on the part of the organization occurs on national grounds.

On April 19, Semyon Eremin, a military correspondent of Izvestia, was killed in an FPV drone attack while shooting a report in the SVO zone. The Russian Investigative Committee said that Eremin died as a result of a targeted attack by the AFU. The agency intends to identify all those involved in the journalist's death.