Oksana markarova, Ukrainian Ambassador, stated to a group of Washington politicos & media professionals that the Russian invasion had occurred. “game changer”Which “the freedom of press and freedom of expression and the freedom of speech suddenly became an existential need.”
On Thursday, she spoke at a fundraiser. Reporters Without Borders, which raises money to support journalists (including Ukrainian journalists and freelancers) who are covering the war in Ukraine.
Markarova spoke out about the journalists who covered the war. “Really you are as brave and as heroic as all the Ukrainians as all the Ukrainians who are fighting. It takes a lot of courage and it takes a lot of values and principles to leave your comfortable life here. There are a lot of stories to choose from. But we’re very grateful to everyone who chooses this story, because the story is very important.”
Among those who just returned was CNN’s Alex Marquardt, who got back last weekend from his second assignment there since the war began. He stated to the crowd that “it is dangerous and difficult and expensive work, and I have rarely felt so fortunate to be working at a place like CNN that has the resources to devote to this story, not just so we can cover it well but that we can cover it safely.”
Marquardt pointed out that the crew was equipped with two armored vehicles when they were traveling around Kharkiv. A security adviser was also a trained medic, and another paramedic was near.
“I know how rare that is, and I know how many reporters are out there telling this story without those kinds of resources, particularly Ukrainian reporters who are trying to tell the story of their country under assault. There are countless freelancers, both international and Ukrainian, who need body armor, they need medical training, they need an internet connection, they need financial support and eventually they may also need psychological support.”
Robert Montgomery, NYU Langone Department of Surgery and Transplant Institute Director, also spoke. He recently traveled to Lviv, Ukraine, to perform surgeries at Lviv Transplant Center.
“To walk through those ICUs and see the mangled bodies and minds that have occurred as a result of this is just something that… I think if we could take cameras, into hospitals, I think people would feel really differently about a lot of the tremendous human tragedies that have occurred.”
He was struck by the strength and resilience of the doctors and staff and led an effort to raise $280,000 to purchase operating room equipment. Montgomery plans to be back in the fall, when the equipment arrives. Montgomery said to the crowd, “Don’t forget, and don’t let this become an old news story.”
Marquardt was joined by Shane Harris, Yasmeen Abtaleb, and Damian Paletta from The Washington Post. News Media Alliance president & CEO David Chavern, Yamiche alcindor, News Media Alliance chief correspondent Yamiche, News Media Alliance’s Yamiche, Haddad Media CEO Tammy Haddad, New York Times reporter Jonathan Martin, and CBS News Radio White House correspondent Steven Portnoy. ABC News’ Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl, CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Coll, MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle and Axios managing editor Margaret Talev were also co-hosts.
Clayton Weimers, executive Director of the Washington Bureau of Reporters Without Borders stated that they have opened a Press Freedom Center office in Lviv to help journalists. He said they are also launching an investigative unit.
Ned Price, spokesperson for the State Department, mentioned the loss of several journalists in Ukraine. Pierre Zakrzewski, Fox News’ cameraman, and Oleksandra, a Ukrainian journalist were among those who lost their jobs. “Sasha”Kuvshinova, who was killed in an attack on March and Benjamin Hall, a correspondent, was seriously injured. HeIs it recovering? Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas. Price stated that the attack wasn’t just on these individuals. “but also on the principal of media freedom, free speech, freedom of the press, the need to tell the story of what is happening in Ukraine.”
Marquardt claimed that his assignment in Ukraine was a “wildly different experience”It was more than just the first time that we covered war “some in positive ways, many in disheartening ways, largely because of the destruction that has now spread all across the country and the realization from so many Ukrainians that this is going to be a very long conflict.”