Ukraine war: French journalist killed near Bakhmut

A 32-year-old French writer has been killed portion reporting from the warfare portion successful eastbound Ukraine.

Arman Soldin, who worked for AFP quality agency, died connected Tuesday aft being deed by rocket occurrence adjacent Chasiv Yar, conscionable westbound of Bakhmut.

A squad of journalists came nether onslaught astatine astir 16:30 (13:30 GMT) portion with a radical of Ukrainian soldiers.

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Soldin's enactment connected the beforehand lines of the war.

"We stock the symptom of his loved ones and his colleagues," helium wrote successful a tweet.

The president of AFP, Fabrice Fries, said the quality bureau was "devastated" by Soldin's death, which helium said was a "terrible reminder of the risks and dangers faced by journalists each time covering the struggle successful Ukraine".

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

MPs crossed the governmental spectrum stood successful France's National Assembly and paid tribute to Soldin.

He was portion of the archetypal AFP squad to spell to Ukraine pursuing Russia's penetration successful February of past twelvemonth and had lived determination since September.

Ukraine's defence ministry offered its "heartfelt condolences" to Soldin's household and colleagues saying: "He dedicated his beingness to informing the satellite astir the truth. His legacy, arsenic good arsenic his cause, volition unrecorded on."

Moscow said it was saddened to perceive of Soldin's death. "We request to recognize the circumstances of the decease of this journalist," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The White House besides paid tribute, saying the satellite was "indebted" to journalists who had mislaid their lives "while shining a airy connected the horrors of Russia's invasion".

Soldin, who was calved successful Bosnia, is the 15th writer to beryllium killed portion reporting connected the warfare successful Ukraine since February 2022, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

At slightest 2 different French journalists person been killed covering the conflict, Pierre Zakrzewski and Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff.

Bakhmut has been the epicentre of warring successful eastbound Ukraine for respective months.