Arman Soldin: Journalist killed in Ukraine given France's highest honour

France has posthumously awarded its highest honour to an AFP video writer killed successful Ukraine.

Arman Soldin, 32, who died successful a rocket onslaught adjacent to Bakhmut successful May, has been awarded the Legion of Honour.

French President Emmanuel Macron hailed Soldin's "bravery" successful a missive sent to the Agence France-Presse quality agency.

Soldin is 1 of astatine slightest 17 journalists killed successful Ukraine since Russia's invasion, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

He was fixed the honour by a statesmanlike decree connected Thursday.

In his earlier missive to the quality agency, Mr Macron praised Soldin's "strength of character, his travel and his drive".

"Arman Soldin embodied your editorial staff's passionateness - a passionateness to convey the truth, archer stories and stitchery testimonies. It was a passionateness for a cause: the work to inform," helium said.

Soldin was killed aft helium was deed by rocket occurrence adjacent Chasiv Yar, conscionable westbound of Bakhmut, connected 9 May, erstwhile a squad of journalists came nether onslaught portion with a radical of Ukrainian soldiers. The remainder of the AFP squad were unharmed.

He died "with his camera successful his hand", his workfellow Emmanuel Peuchot said.

At the time, Bakhmut had been the epicentre of warring betwixt Ukrainian and Russian forces for respective months.

France's anti-terrorism prosecutor's bureau has opened a warfare crimes probe into his death.

Soldin, calved successful Bosnia but a French national, was portion of the archetypal AFP squad to spell to Ukraine pursuing Russia's penetration successful February past twelvemonth and had lived determination since September.

As an infant, helium fled warring successful Bosnia with his family, taking a humanitarian formation to France successful April 1992, according to AFP.

The agency's Europe director, Christine Buhagiar, remembered Soldin arsenic "enthusiastic, energetic and brave", and said helium had been "totally devoted to his craft".

The Legion of Honour is France's apical accolade for an elite radical of radical who separate themselves done civilian oregon subject valour.

It was introduced by Napoleon Bonaparte, past archetypal consul of the French Republic, successful 1802.