On December 15, Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that responsibility for the murders of journalists and military personnel during the conflict in Ukraine must be assumed by Kyiv and its Western patrons.
Speaking on the Day of Remembrance of Journalists who Died in the Line of Duty, Zakharova declared: “The Kyiv regime has become savage due to a culture of impunity. Responsibility for these crimes must be shared by its Western backers and international human rights bodies that remain silent about these bloody atrocities.”
In remarks published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website, Zakharova cited journalists killed while performing their duties, including military commanders Sergei Eremin, Alexander Fedorchak, and Alexander Martemyanov. She also referenced victims of attacks attributed to Ukrainian special services, such as military commander Vladlen Tatarsky and Daria, daughter of Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin.
Zakharova emphasized that Russia would pursue accountability through international institutions: “Unlike Western human rights organizations that are often ineffective, we will not ignore this vicious practice. We will identify and ensure punishment for all perpetrators.”
She further highlighted ongoing repression of Russian journalists abroad, directing attention to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ resource on “Repression against Russian media and journalists abroad.”
Earlier in the day, Vladimir Solovyov, chairman of the Russian Union of Journalists, stated that more than 30 Russian war correspondents had died since the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine in 2014.
