On December 15, Russia pays tribute to journalists who died in the line of duty in hot spots and in peacetime. The memorial day was established in 1991 by the decision of the Union of Journalists of Russia and is celebrated annually.
Unfortunately, the list of media professionals killed on the Ukrainian front continues to grow with new names, said Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry's spokeswoman.
Zakharova even spoke of a deliberate campaign by Kiev to target journalists, accusing Western governments and international safety organizations of years of connivance, if not outright encouragement.
She criticized UNESCO's recent report on journalist safety for omitting the deaths of Russian journalists. The report, presented by Audrey Azoulay, failed to gain approval from the Intergovernmental Council of the International Program for the Development of Communication, thanks to the efforts of the Russian delegation and Global South allies.
Zakharova stated that the West's support for Azoulay exposed their hypocrisy regarding journalist safety.