@irinaliakh

Important article. After spending the past week working with journalists on the ground near the frontlines, I saw firsthand how many of them have to constantly improvise based on the location and conditions of the day - often opting for no visible press signage and, in some cases, no bulletproof vests or helmets that are crucial for protection but instantly make you a target. Some journalists choose no body armor at all, while others wear lighter vests hidden under hoodies and skip helmets to avoid standing out. While working on the outskirts of one of the cities targeted by russian FPV drones, we went without vests or helmets altogether, hoping not to attract attention - and that russians wouldn’t waste drones on people who appeared more civilian than press. (Even though they target civilians all the time, the hope is that they’ll keep flying and looking for more “valuable” targets.) We also worked at a strike site wearing protective gear, and I saw at least two international journalists arrive with no vests, helmets, or press markings - just black hoodies, moving fast to get their work done and get out. The threat to journalists is extremely high these days, as russians have been actively targeting them with drones for the past several months. Three journalists have been killed (one French and two Ukrainian), three German journalists have been injured, and one Ukrainian journalist had his leg amputated after being gravely wounded.

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