Suspilne Donbas journalists targeted by Russian drone while taking interview in Donetsk oblast
Suspilne Donbas filming crew (chief editor Andriy Kramchenkov and reporter Vladyslav Ukolov) came under Russian fire in Donetsk oblast on May 25.
The incident happened in Rodynske village (Donetsk oblast), which is 14 km away from the front line, Andriy Kramchenkov reported in a Facebook post.
In a comment to the Institute of Mass Information representative Valentyna Troyan, Andriy specified that they were wearing black bulletproof vests and “Press” badges.
“As we were recording a voiceover from a local woman, I saw an airplane-type drone literally above the house, already approaching the target. I managed to shout that there was a drone above us in time, we ran to take cover wherever our eyes could see,” Andriy Kramchenkov wrote.
He added that the drone fell down between two houses and did not hit anyone. At that moment, he and his colleague ran into an apartment building.
"A few more drones, they were being shot down with small arms. Explosions. We are trying to get to the car by running there and hoping that it is intact. Because how else can we get out of here? No phone connection, because there has been no electricity for months," added Andriy Kramchenkov.
The car turned out to be intact. The team was able to leave.
In a comment to the IMI representative, Andriy Kramchenkov said that the drone had changed its route after seeing him and Vladyslav Ukolov and had tried to attack.
“We were saved by the fact that it was a plane-type and those are not as maneuverable as copters,” added the Suspilne Donbas chief editor.
Vladyslav Ukolov posted a video on Facebook showing the drone circling in the sky. The video also shows him running to take cover.
He said that the drone attacked as they were recording an interview with a local.
“It flew out from behind the trees and disappeared just as quickly. I thought, we got lucky, it didn't see us. But no: a moment later it turns around, flies straight at us, gets swayed, tries to stabilize and comes flying right in our direction. We were really lucky – it didn’t have enough angle to hit us. We just rushed to meet it at that moment,” the journalist wrote.
In May 2025, Vyacheslav Lakomkin, correspondent with the Polish media outlet TVP Vot Tak, was targeted by a Russian drone along the brigade No. 68 of the Ukrainian Armed Forces together with the fighters of the 68th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, came under attack by a Russian drone near Pokrovsk, Donetsk oblast.
In April 2025, a filming crew of the Ukrainian Witness project was targeted by a Russian drone 20 kilometers from the front line, where they were stationed with soldiers from the National Guard Brigade No. 15.
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