An American journalist killed in Ukraine by Russian forces, Kiev police say

A New York Times photojournalist has been shot dead by Russian troops in Ukraine, the police chief of the Kiev region said.

Brent Renaud, 51, was killed and a fellow journalist was wounded in Irpin, according to local authorities.

He was believed to work for The New York Times because he had a press badge for the publication, but the paper said he was not assigned to them.

The journalist has not worked for them since 2015, The New York Times said.

New York Times Deputy Editor Cliff Levy issued a statement on the journalist’s death and paid tribute.

He issued a statement: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Brent Renaud. Brent was a talented photographer and filmmaker who contributed to The New York Times over the years.

“Although he has contributed to The Times in the past (most recently in 2015), he has not been assigned to any office at The Times in Ukraine.

“Early reports that he worked for the Times circulated because he was wearing a Times press badge that had been issued for an assignment many years ago.”

Kyiv Region Police Chief Andriy Nebitov released photos of the journalist’s press ID and passport.

“Invaders cynically kill even journalists from the international media who try to show the truth about the atrocities of Russian troops in Ukraine,” he wrote on Facebook.

From the ground, PBS reporter Jane Ferguson, who is in Ukraine, tweeted: “Just left the site near Irpin where the body of American journalist Brent Renaud lay under a blanket. Ukrainian doctors could do nothing to help him up to that stage.

“Outraged Ukrainian police officer: ‘Tell America, tell the world what they did to a journalist.'”