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Missing Russian Photographer Was Killed in Ukraine Missing Russian Photographer Was Killed in Ukraine
(about 14 hours later)
The Russian photojournalist Andrei Stenin, who went missing while embedded with separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine last month, was killed in an attack on a convoy four weeks ago, Russia’s state news agency reported on Wednesday.The Russian photojournalist Andrei Stenin, who went missing while embedded with separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine last month, was killed in an attack on a convoy four weeks ago, Russia’s state news agency reported on Wednesday.
His remains were apparently discovered on Aug. 21 near the rebel-held city of Donetsk, after the insurgents pushed back government forces, separatists told the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Video first posted online on Aug. 22 by the Russian news site Komsomolskaya Pravda showed a burnt-out car and camera equipment found at the scene and investigators removing a body as a monitor from the organization looked on. His remains were apparently discovered on Aug. 21 near the rebel-held city of Donetsk, after the insurgents pushed back government forces, separatists told the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Video first posted online on Aug. 22 by the Russian news site Komsomolskaya Pravda showed a burnt-out car and camera equipment found at the scene and investigators removing a body as an OSCE monitor looked on.
In a sharply worded statement, Russia’s Foreign Ministry demanded that Ukraine carry out “a thorough and objective investigation of Andrei Stenin’s murder,” and called the attack “yet another barbarous crime committed by the Ukrainian military and National Guard.” Yulia Gorbunova of Human Rights Watch said the photographer’s death was “a tragedy of monumental proportions” and called for “a thorough and full investigation.”In a sharply worded statement, Russia’s Foreign Ministry demanded that Ukraine carry out “a thorough and objective investigation of Andrei Stenin’s murder,” and called the attack “yet another barbarous crime committed by the Ukrainian military and National Guard.” Yulia Gorbunova of Human Rights Watch said the photographer’s death was “a tragedy of monumental proportions” and called for “a thorough and full investigation.”
Given that the attack seems to have taken place about two weeks before rebels regained control of the area and discovered the reporter’s body, and Ukrainian officials are now unable to access the site, the circumstances in which Mr. Stenin died might never be completely known.Given that the attack seems to have taken place about two weeks before rebels regained control of the area and discovered the reporter’s body, and Ukrainian officials are now unable to access the site, the circumstances in which Mr. Stenin died might never be completely known.
Russian investigators, however, insisted that the photographer was traveling in “a convoy of at least 10 vehicles carrying civilians,” Mr. Stenin’s news agency reported. Video posted on YouTube a week after the attack appeared to show rebels in the same location inspecting a line of destroyed cars. Bloggers on the Ukrainian side noted, however, that video recorded by the same rebels also clearly showed the separatist fighters traveling, as they often do, in civilian cars.
Natalia Antonova, a journalist and playwright in Moscow, pointed out on Twitter that Mr. Stenin’s fate had already become part of the information war between Russians and Ukrainians.Natalia Antonova, a journalist and playwright in Moscow, pointed out on Twitter that Mr. Stenin’s fate had already become part of the information war between Russians and Ukrainians.
Mr. Stenin had been working for the agency Rossiya Segodnya, or Russia Today. In a televised commentary on the journalist’s death, the head of the agency, Dmitry Kiselev, spoke as if there was no doubt about what had happened, blaming Ukraine’s military for the attack.Mr. Stenin had been working for the agency Rossiya Segodnya, or Russia Today. In a televised commentary on the journalist’s death, the head of the agency, Dmitry Kiselev, spoke as if there was no doubt about what had happened, blaming Ukraine’s military for the attack.
Speaking in English, Mr. Kiselev also denounced statements by a Ukrainian Interior Ministry official, Anton Gerashchenko — who seemed to suggest last month that Mr. Stenin might have been captured and could face charges for photographing wounded soldiers captured by the rebels. Those “lies,” Mr. Kiselev said, had given false hope to the journalist’s family and to colleagues who had mounted a social media campaign demanding his release. Speaking in English, Mr. Kiselev also denounced statements by a Ukrainian Interior Ministry official, Anton Gerashchenko — who was quoted as saying last month that Mr. Stenin had been captured and could face charges for taking part in "torture" by photographing wounded soldiers captured by the rebels. Those “lies,” Mr. Kiselev said, had given false hope to the journalist’s family and to colleagues who had mounted a social media campaign demanding his release.
Mr. Kiselev is the fiery pundit handpicked by President Vladimir V. Putin late last year to lead Rossiya Segodnya, which is charged with explaining Kremlin policy to the world. Before that Kremlin-ordered reorganization of state media, Mr. Stenin had already shot for RIA Novosti, the more independent predecessor of the new agency.Mr. Kiselev is the fiery pundit handpicked by President Vladimir V. Putin late last year to lead Rossiya Segodnya, which is charged with explaining Kremlin policy to the world. Before that Kremlin-ordered reorganization of state media, Mr. Stenin had already shot for RIA Novosti, the more independent predecessor of the new agency.
After his death was confirmed on Wednesday, his colleagues drew attention on Facebook to the the last images Mr. Stenin filed, which included the photographs of wounded prisoners of war that had so enraged the Ukrainian official, Mr. Gerashchenko.After his death was confirmed on Wednesday, his colleagues drew attention on Facebook to the the last images Mr. Stenin filed, which included the photographs of wounded prisoners of war that had so enraged the Ukrainian official, Mr. Gerashchenko.
The interrogation of those prisoners of war was also captured on video by the pro-separatist Russian Internet news site Icorpus.ru.The interrogation of those prisoners of war was also captured on video by the pro-separatist Russian Internet news site Icorpus.ru.
At the end of his tribute to the journalist, Mr. Kiselev called an exhibition of Mr. Stenin’s work outside the agency’s headquarters in Moscow “a gift of remembrance that we give to Andrei.”At the end of his tribute to the journalist, Mr. Kiselev called an exhibition of Mr. Stenin’s work outside the agency’s headquarters in Moscow “a gift of remembrance that we give to Andrei.”
“He sacrificed his life for these photographs, for the sole purpose of letting the world see the truth,” Mr. Kiselev said.“He sacrificed his life for these photographs, for the sole purpose of letting the world see the truth,” Mr. Kiselev said.
President Putin echoed those remarks, saying that Mr. Stenin “did everything possible so that people all around the world would know the truth about the tragic events taking place in Donetsk.”President Putin echoed those remarks, saying that Mr. Stenin “did everything possible so that people all around the world would know the truth about the tragic events taking place in Donetsk.”
To some Ukrainians, however, Mr. Stenin’s photographs of the insurgency in eastern Ukraine looked like evidence of something else: that he was a propagandist for the Russian-backed rebels. In an interview on Ukrainian television last month, Mr. Gerashchenko held up two photographs of the captured soldiers taken by Mr. Stenin shortly before his disappearance and accused him of being “a sadist.”To some Ukrainians, however, Mr. Stenin’s photographs of the insurgency in eastern Ukraine looked like evidence of something else: that he was a propagandist for the Russian-backed rebels. In an interview on Ukrainian television last month, Mr. Gerashchenko held up two photographs of the captured soldiers taken by Mr. Stenin shortly before his disappearance and accused him of being “a sadist.”
Before long, and in the absence of any evidence, Ukrainian bloggers even accused the missing journalist of having personally tortured the prisoners he had photographed.Before long, and in the absence of any evidence, Ukrainian bloggers even accused the missing journalist of having personally tortured the prisoners he had photographed.
In an attempt to set that rumor to rest, and to learn more about what had happened to Mr. Stenin, another Russian journalist, Viktoriya Ivleva of Russia’s Novaya Gazeta, set out to find one of the Ukrainian soldiers pictured in the images, Andrei Panasyuk, who was eventually set free in a prisoner exchange. In an attempt to set that rumor to rest, and to learn more about what had happened to Mr. Stenin, another Russian journalist, Victoria Ivleva, aformer columnist for the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, set out to find one of the Ukrainian soldiers pictured in the images, Andrei Panasyuk, who was eventually set free in a prisoner exchange.
According to a translation of her account by Catherine A. Fitzpatrick of The Interpreter, a news site financed by the Russian dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s foundation, the young soldier told Ms. Ivleva that Mr. Stenin had simply photographed him and had not caused him any harm. At Ms. Ivleva’s prompting, Mr. Panasyuk even agreed to write a note to the photographer’s mother clearing his name, which she passed on and then published Monday on the website of TV Rain, a Russian channel.According to a translation of her account by Catherine A. Fitzpatrick of The Interpreter, a news site financed by the Russian dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s foundation, the young soldier told Ms. Ivleva that Mr. Stenin had simply photographed him and had not caused him any harm. At Ms. Ivleva’s prompting, Mr. Panasyuk even agreed to write a note to the photographer’s mother clearing his name, which she passed on and then published Monday on the website of TV Rain, a Russian channel.
The note, written in Ukrainian and dated Aug. 27, read in full: “To the mama of Andrei Stenin from the soldier Andrei Panasyuk. I want to tell you about your son. When I was injured, I don’t remember this very well, but your son didn’t beat me, didn’t torture me. He was just doing his job as a photographer. I’m sorry that it turned out this way. I think that peace will come soon.”The note, written in Ukrainian and dated Aug. 27, read in full: “To the mama of Andrei Stenin from the soldier Andrei Panasyuk. I want to tell you about your son. When I was injured, I don’t remember this very well, but your son didn’t beat me, didn’t torture me. He was just doing his job as a photographer. I’m sorry that it turned out this way. I think that peace will come soon.”