Two journalists were shot
British journalists with Sky News were shot at following an ambush by Russian forces that left two injured, and thankfully, no deaths were reported.
Sky News‘ chief correspondent, Stuart Ramsay, was travelling back to Kyiv from Bucha along with four colleagues when the Russian military ambushed their vehicle. In the Harrowing footage published by Sky News, waves of gunshots can be heard hitting the vehicle’s metal moments before two of their team were shot.
https://twitter.com/trishdevlin/status/1499866142009081864
The first wave of bullets sent Camera operator Richie Mockler into the passenger footwell, and then continuous fire “disintegrated” the car’s interior.
I’ve watched and admired Stuart Ramsay, and his team for a long time. I found the footage to be absolutely harrowing. I am absolutely in awe of any journalist choosing to shed light on these atrocities.
— Rosa Zambonini (@RosaZambonini) March 5, 2022
They were later informed by Ukrainian police that they came across a saboteur Russian reconnaissance squad.
Producer Martin Vowles and local producer Andrii Lytvynenko exited the vehicle first, leaving Ramsay, Richie, and producer Dominique Van Heerden inside.
Stuart Ramsay and cameraman Richie Mockler were shot – Ramsay in the lower back while Mockler took two rounds in his vest. A Sky News journalists were shot in Ukraine during an ambush by a Russian “death squad” on Monday. @EFJEUROPE https://t.co/Yr4HRUDNY4 pic.twitter.com/Xl4ibmsdGE
— Sergiy Tomilenko (@Stommedia) March 5, 2022
Trying to escape the vehicle, Dominique fell down a 40ft embankment, leaving only Ramsay and Richie in the car.
“I do recall wondering if my death was going to be painful,” Ramsay wrote.
He continued: “But Richie was still inside the car. The rounds were ploughing into the car every time he moved. He was actually being protected by the engine block – he knew that.
“He called out, and we shouted at him to come. But then silence. It seemed like an eternity before he emerged over the barrier and jumped down towards us, followed by a hail of gunfire.
“At the bottom, we regrouped. The five of us were alive. We couldn’t believe it.
“We were in shock, no doubt about it. But elated to be alive. Martin said to me, it’s a miracle any of us got out, let alone all five of us.”
The journalists were lucky to be given safe haven in a factory, where they awaited extraction.
Ramsay was shot in the lower back but was protected by body armour. Cameraman. Richie Mockler was shot twice and again was protected by body armour. The press team is now back in the UK, and local producer Andrii Lytvynenko has returned to his family.
Related Links
- Priti Patel’s Nationality and Borders bill would criminalise people fleeing Ukraine
- Tory MP says UK doesn’t need to do more for Ukraine – as ‘we’ve done our bit with migration’
- Boris Johnson says more than 200,000 Ukrainians could be allowed to join family in UK
