Russia attacks Ukraine: Video journalist Brent Renaud killed in Ukraine

Brent Renaud, an award-winning video journalist and filmmaker, was killed in Ukraine early Sunday, authorities said. He was 50.

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According to The New York Times, Renaud had worked for several U.S. news and media organizations in the past, including HBO, NBC and The New York Times.

Police said Renaud was shot in the neck when Russian forces opened fire on a car near Irpin, according to The Guardian. Andriy Nebytov, head of the Kyiv Oblast police, confirmed that Renaud had been killed, The Times of London reported. Two other journalists were wounded and taken to a hospital, according to the Kyiv Independent.

Jane Ferguson, a reporter for “PBS NewsHour” who said she was nearby when Renaud was killed, tweeted: “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.’”

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

In a statement, The New York Times said it was “deeply saddened” to hear of Renaud’s death.

“Brent was a talented filmmaker who had contributed to The New York Times over the years.”

The statement added that Renaud was not on assignment for the newspaper in Ukraine and had not contributed material since 2015.

Police posted a photo of Renaud’s body and his U.S, passport as evidence, along with a photo of an outdated New York Times press badge with the journalist’s name, CNN reported.

The police force noted in a statement that, “Of course, the profession of journalism carries risks. Nonetheless, U.S. citizen Brent Renaud paid with his life trying to highlight the deceit, cruelty and ruthlessness of the aggressor.”

In a statement, Time magazine said it was “devastated” by the death of Renaud.

“As an award-winning filmmaker and journalist, Brent tackled the toughest stories around the world often alongside his brother Craig Renaud,” said Time Editor in Chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal and President and COO of Time Ian Orefice said in a joint statement. “In recent weeks, Brent was in the region working on a TIME Studios project focused on the global refugee crisis. Our hearts are with all of Brent’s loved ones. It is essential that journalists are able to safely cover this ongoing invasion and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.”

A statement from TIME on the death of journalist Brent Renaud https://t.co/5mXpjyl4Gd
— TIME (@TIME) March 13, 2022

Renaud won a Peabody Award and a DuPont Award for his work, IMDb.com reported. With his brother, Craig Renaud, Brent Renaud also covered earthquakes in Haiti, political strife in Egypt and Libya, cartel violence in Mexico and the youth refugee crisis in Central America, the website reported. The brothers won a Peabody Award in 2015 for the Vice News documentary, “Last Chance High,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Response from a New York Times spokesperson in regard to the death of Brent Renaud in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/K11eW685yr
— NYTimes Communications (@NYTimesPR) March 13, 2022

Renaud was a fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University from 2018 to 2019, according to The New York Times.

Our Nieman Fellow Brent Renaud was gifted and kind, and his work was infused with humanity. He was killed today outside Kiev, and the world and journalism are lesser for it. We are heartsick. https://t.co/ZbQWAtiGp4
— Ann Marie Lipinski (@AMLwhere) March 13, 2022

Renaud’s reporting partner who was shot, Juan Arredondo, was also a Nieman fellow in the 2019 class, the newspaper reported.

A video posted on the Okhmatdyt hospital’s Instagram page showed Arredondo discussing the shooting from a hospital bed.