“The truth is the goal,” Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday, commenting on the attack on Fox News crew members.
Susan Scott, chief executive of Fox News Media, announced Zakrzewski’s death. Scott said in a staff memo that he was killed when the vehicle in which the Fox News crew was traveling came under fire.
Kovchinova’s death was announced by Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Minister of the Interior of Ukraine. Gerashchenko blamed Russian forces for the artillery bombardment.
Scott recalled on Tuesday Zakrzewski as a journalist who “was deeply committed to telling the story, and his courage, professionalism and work ethic were famous among journalists in every media.”
“He was very popular – everyone in the media industry who covered a foreign story knew and respected Pierre,” Scott said.
Scott described Zakrzewski’s talents as enormous and said that “there was no role he didn’t jump into to help in the field – from photographer to engineer to editor to producer. He did it all under tremendous pressure with tremendous skill.”
Zkrzewski was a veteran photojournalist who “covered nearly every international story for Fox News from Iraq to Afghanistan to Syria,” Scott said. He had been reporting from Ukraine since February.
Honor immediately poured in from Zakrzewski’s colleagues at Fox News.
Presenter Bill Hammer, who reported the tragic news on air, called Zakrzewski an “absolute legend” in the network.
Broadcaster John Roberts said he has worked with Zakrzewski “many times around the world” and called him an “absolute treasure”.
Foreign correspondent Trey Ingst, who also works from Ukraine, wrote on Twitter, “I don’t know what to say. Pierre was as good as it came. Unselfish. Brave. Emotional. I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
He is also remembered by Zakrzewski’s peers in other networks.
Clarissa Ward, CNN’s chief international correspondent, said she had a “great privilege” to work with Zakrzewski and “an even greater privilege in calling him a friend.”
“An extraordinary spirit, tremendous talent and one of the kindest and kindest colleagues on the road,” Ward wrote on Twitter. “Very heartbreaking.”
