Evacuations from Luhansk region halted as enemy shells vehicle, killing foreign journalist

Evacuations from the Luhansk region have been officially halted after Russian forces on Monday opened fire on a vehicle that was going to pick up people, killing French journalist Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff.

Serhii Haidai, head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, said this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"The evacuation has been officially halted. The ruscists fired at a vehicle that was going to pick up people. A French journalist was killed," he wrote.

He added that today an armored vehicle was going to evacuate ten people from the region and came under enemy fire. Shrapnel from shells ripped through the armor of the vehicle. The French journalist sustained a fatal wound to his neck, whereas a patrol police officer survived thanks to his helmet.

Ukrinform reported earlier that fierce fighting has been going on in the towns of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the Luhansk region. In the Donetsk region, Russian forces are employing small arms, tanks, artillery, mortars, as well as Grad, Smerch multiple launch rocket systems and more.

Photo credit: Serhii Haidai / Luhansk Regional State Administration