US journalist killed in Ukraine by Russian forces, says Kyiv police

Director Brent Renaud

(Picture: (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Peabody Awards))

A New York Times photojournalist has been shot dead by Russian troops in Ukraine, the head of police in the Kyiv region has said.

Brent Renaud, 51, was killed and one fellow journalist was injured in Irpin, according to local authorities.

He was thought to be working for The New York Times because he had a press badge for the publication on him but the newspaper has said he was not assignment for them.

The journalist has not worked for them since 2015, The New York Times said.

New York Times deputy managing editor Cliff Levy issued a statement on the journalist’s death and paid tribute to him.

.@nytimes is deeply saddened to learn of the death of an American journalist in Ukraine, Brent Renaud.
Brent was a talented photographer and filmmaker, but he was not on assignment for @nytimes in Ukraine.
Full statement is here. pic.twitter.com/bRcrnNDacQ

— Cliff Levy (@cliffordlevy) March 13, 2022

He issued a statement: “We are deeply saddened to hear of Brent Renaud’s death. Brent was a talented photographer and filmmaker who had 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 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 that had been issued for an assignment many years ago.”

The head of police in the Kyiv region Andriy Nebitov published photos of the press ID and the journalist’s passport.

“The invaders cynically kill even journalists of the international media who try to show the truth about the atrocities of Russian troops in Ukraine,” he wrote on Facebook.

Just left roadside spot near Irpin where body of American journalist Brent Renaud lay under a blanket. Ukranian medics could do nothing to help him by that stage. Outraged Ukranian police officer: “Tell America, tell the world, what they did to a journalist.”

— Jane Ferguson (@JaneFerguson5) March 13, 2022

From the ground, PBS reporter Jane Ferguson, who is in Ukraine, tweeted: “Just left roadside spot near Irpin where body of American journalist Brent Renaud lay under a blanket. Ukrainian medics could do nothing to help him by that stage.

“Outraged Ukrainian police officer: “Tell America, tell the world, what they did to a journalist.””