Journalists injured in drone attack give first testimony about Martemyanov's death

The first testimony about the death of Izvestiya military correspondent Alexander Martemyanov was given by journalists of RIA Novosti and Bloknot Donetsk who were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on a highway in Horlivka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR). The corresponding information was confirmed to Izvestia on January 5 by Isabella Liberman, a correspondent of the "Bloknot Donetsk" publication.

RIA Novosti journalists Maxim Romanenko and Mikhail Kevkhiev, Bloknot Donetsk editor Svetlana Larina, and military correspondent Izabella Liberman were injured in the drone strike.

According to RIA Novosti, Romanenko was hospitalized with a concussion, while Kevkhiev, with a mild contusion, did not need hospitalization. Employees of "Bloknot Donetsk" were given medical care, they continue treatment on an outpatient basis.

"An investigator of the Investigative Committee came to my hospital, took my testimony about the circumstances of the death of Alexander Martemyanov," Romanenko told the agency.

Kevkhiev also confirmed that he communicated with representatives of the Investigative Committee.

Illegal target: Moscow will raise the topic of the murder of Russian journalists at the UN Security Council

Izvestiya military correspondent Alexander Martemyanov killed, four representatives of other media outlets wounded after AFU drone attack on January 4

Izvestia correspondent Alexander Martemyanov was killed on January 4 when a Ukrainian army drone hit a car on the Donetsk-Gorlovka highway. He died of his wounds.

A criminal case was opened under Articles 105, 167 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Murder and attempted murder of two or more persons", "Intentional damage to property").

The head of the DNR Denis Pushilin noted that Martemyanov's materials about Donbass "were courageous and objective", the military correspondent also provided assistance to the residents of the republic. The chairman of the Union of Journalists of Russia (SZhR) in the DNR, Viktor Petrenko, said that the deceased war correspondent should be buried in the Alley of Heroes in Donetsk.

Alexander Martemyanov worked as a correspondent for Izvestia since 2014. In 2023, he was wounded during shelling by the AFU in Donetsk, but returned to work after his recovery. Martemyanov was awarded the medal "For Bravery" and the insignia "For Merit to the Donetsk People's Republic" of the III degree.