A French journalist was killed today when shrapnel from a Russian artillery strike tore through the armoured evacuation vehicle he was riding in.
The armoured transport was evacuating civilians from Luhansk in the country's pro-Russia east when it was hit by shells.
Regional governor Serhiy Gaidai wrote on Telegram that the shrapnel pierced the vehicle's armour - killing the accredited French reporter inside.
The official also shared a photograph of a press card identifying the journalist as Frederic Leclerc Imhoff.
The French foreign ministry said it was checking the report of the journalist's death.
Reporters Without Borders has not yet "stated his identity until his family and colleagues are informed."
The ongoing war in Ukraine has claimed the lives of several journalists, including an award-winning former New York Times photographer and film maker.
Brent Renaud was shot dead in Irpin while his colleague was injured by Russian forces, Ukraine police announced on March 13.
In a statement, The New York Times confirmed the tragic death of Mr Renaud, who was a "talented" photographer and film maker, but stressed he was not on assignment for the paper in Ukraine.
It read: "We are deeply saddened to hear of Brent Renaud's death. Brent was a talented photographer and film maker who contributed to The New York Times over the years.
"Though he had contributed to The Times in the past (most recently in 2015) he was not on an assignment for any desk at The Times in Ukraine.
"Early reports that he worked for Times circulated because he was wearing a Times press badge which had been issued for an assignment many years ago."
A tweet by Kyiv police appeared to show images of Mr Reanud's documentation including what looked to be a passport, press badge and allegedly a picture of him injured.
Following his death, videos emerged on Twitter alleging to show Mr Renaud's injured colleague while he was being treated in hospital.
Speaking to a camera, the man on the hospital bed introduced himself as 'Juan from the US' and said he was Mr Renaud's friend before describing what had happened.
He said: "We crossed the first bridge in Irpin, we were going to film other refugees leaving and we got into a car - somebody offered to take us to the other bridge.
"We crossed a checkpoint and they started at us so the driver turned around and they kept shooting, there were two of us.
"My friend is Brent Renaud and he was shot and left behind."
Two days later photojournalist Pierre Zakrzewski, 55, and his Ukrainian journalist colleague Oleksandra ‘Sandra’ Kuvshynova were killed by Russian shelling outside the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
A British reporter, Benjamin Hall, was left in serious condition after the attack but thankfully pulled through.
Pierre's mother Mare-Ange Zakrzewska, told the Irish Independent he “always wanted to be a journalist, photographer, saving the world”.,
She added: “He started off independently, you know when you want to prove yourself nobody will employ you, he had to go on his own, prove himself, bring back all kinds of film which afterwards the BBC or RTÉ or French companies would publish.
She continued: “Then eventually Fox got him.”
Marie-Ange said: “It happened on Monday afternoon at some time, I wasn’t told and then in the evening Michelle, his wife, she was rung her to tell her he was missing and then at lunchtime we got confirmation of his death”.
Journalists are provided special status in international armed conflicts under Humanitarian law and are considered civlians so should not be attacked.
