Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has published an open letter to the family of Brent Renaud, a U.S. journalist and filmmaker who police said was killed by a Russian attack in Irpin, Ukraine, a suburb of Kyiv, on Sunday, March 13.
“It is with deep sadness that I am writing to extend my heartfelt condolences to you on the tragic loss of your beloved son and brother,” Zelensky wrote in a letter posted to Twitter on Monday. “A talented and brave journalist, Brent lost his life while documenting human tragedy, devastation and suffering of the millions of Ukrainians. With all his courage and determination, he travelled to the most dangerous war zones to film the unprecedented ruthlessness and evil, also inflicted upon our nation by the aggressor state.
“The people of Ukraine, who are fighting against the Russian regime to defend their homeland and democracy in the world, are mourning with you,” Zelensky continued. “We are thankful to Brent for his professionalism and commitment to the values of compassion, ethics and justice.
“May Brent’s life, service and sacrifice inspire generations of people all around the world to stand up [and] fight for the forces of light against forces of darkness,” he added.
I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of Brent Renaud who lost his life while documenting the ruthlessness & evil inflicted upon 🇺🇦 people by Russia. May Brent’s life & sacrifice inspire the world to stand up in fight for the forces of light against forces of darkness. pic.twitter.com/bvQjM470OU
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 14, 2022
Renaud, 50, was working on a video project on refugees for Time magazine with another American journalist, Juan Arredondo, when Arredondo said the car they were traveling in came under fire from Russian forces.
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