Russians killed French journalist and wounded his Ukrainian colleague

Russians killed French journalist Antoni Lallican with a drone and wounded his Ukrainian colleague Hryhoriy Ivanchenko, said4th separate heavy mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"A French journalist and photographer Antoni Lallican was killed by an enemy FPV drone. Hryhoriy Ivanchenko, a journalist and photographer for the Kyiv Independent and a member of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, was working with him at the scene. He was injured and is currently in stable condition," the post reads.

The military notes that both journalists were wearing personal protective equipment, and their bulletproof vests had identifying marks – the word PRESS.

With this attack, the Russians have once again cynically violated the norms of International Humanitarian Law, the brigade emphasized.

The head of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, Serhiy Tomilenko, citing his own sources, said that this strike took place on October 3 near Druzhkivka in Donetsk region.

"The media workers were wearing protective gear and were accompanied by a press officer. The well-known French photojournalist Anthony Lallican had military accreditation from the Hans Lucas agency, which cooperates with well-known French media," Tomilenko said.

UPDATED. French president Emmanuel Macron confirms death of French media worker.

"Our compatriot, photojournalist Antoni Lallican, accompanied the Ukrainian military on the resistance front. It was with deep sadness that I learned of his death by a Russian drone strike. I extend my sincere condolences to his family, friends and all his colleagues who risk their lives to inform us and testify to the reality of war," said the leader of France.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha expressed his condolences to Lallikan's family, friends and colleagues.

"Russia continues to deliberately target journalists – this is a heinous crime and a violation of international humanitarian law. We will make every effort to bring those responsible to justice. Antoni Lallican's courage in bringing the truth about Russian aggression to the world will never be forgotten," wrote the official.

Also head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak published words of condolences.

Lallican became the third professional journalist from France killed by the occupiers during the full-scale war against Ukraine.

• In May 2022, a French journalist Frederik Leclerc Imhoff for the BFM TV channel was killed in the Luhansk region due to shelling of an evacuation vehicle.
• A year later, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist Arman Soldin was killed near the town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region.
• According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, as of the end of September 2025, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the occupiers have more than 800 crimes against journalists and media in Ukraine.