A frontline journalist for the French agency AFP was killed during shelling near the besieged Ukrainian city of Bakhmut on Tuesday. The incident occurred as AFP reporters were traveling with four colleagues from the same bureau alongside a group of Ukrainian soldiers, following a Grad rocket attack on the town of Chasiv Yar, located near Bakhmut. This area has repeatedly endured heavy bombardment as Russian forces press to capture Bakhmut and bring the long-running siege to a decisive end.
According to AFP, the deceased was 32-year-old Arman Soldin, a video coordinator who had been embedded with the Ukrainian front lines. While his colleagues were unharmed, he lost his life in the strike, underscoring the peril that reporters face while covering the conflict in Ukraine on a daily basis.
Fabrice Fries, head of AFP, described Soldin’s death as a stark reminder of the risks journalists assume to report from the scene. He noted that the loss reverberates through the agency, which mourns the absence of a colleague who had helped bring the realities of the fighting to audiences around the world.
Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. He emphasized that the attack strikes at the heart of the journalistic mission to provide independent and reliable information under dangerous conditions, and he extended condolences to Soldin’s family, colleagues, and all who defend press freedom.
Soldin is the third French journalist reported killed in the Ukraine conflict. Earlier, Pierre Zakrzewski, a Fox cameraman, was killed near Kyiv on March 14, 2022, and Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, a BFM TV cameraman, died during an evacuation operation in Luhansk on May 30 of the previous year. Each case has amplified concerns about safety for correspondents working amid active combat zones and has intensified calls for protective measures and stricter safety protocols for members of the press on the ground.
Analysts and journalism advocates stress that the deaths highlight the risks inherent in reporting from frontlines where military operations unfold in real time. They argue for continued improvements in safety gear, better coordination with military escorts, and clearer access rules to minimize peril while ensuring that audiences remain informed about shifts in the conflict. The broader community of international news organizations has repeatedly urged authorities to uphold the safety of journalists by maintaining safe corridors and respecting the protections afforded to reporters under international humanitarian law.
As the situation around Bakhmut remains volatile, press freedom groups reaffirm their commitment to documenting events with accuracy and balance. They point out that independent reporting from areas of intense fighting helps audiences understand the human impact of the conflict, including the toll on civilians, soldiers, and those who document these events for audiences around the world. The loss of a correspondent is seen not only as a professional setback but also as a blow to the global right to know what is happening on the ground.
In reflecting on Soldin’s career and contributions, colleagues recall his skill in capturing compelling footage and telling complex stories under pressure. His work helped illuminate the experiences of people affected by the fighting and conveyed the urgency of events to an international audience. While the exact circumstances of the attack are under investigation, the broader narrative remains clear: the war continues to create dangerous conditions for journalists who strive to report with integrity and immediacy.