MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree awarding the Order of Courage to deceased war correspondents: Izvestia's Alexander Fedorchak and Channel One's Anna Prokofieva, as well as cameraman of the Zvezda TV channel Andrey Panov and crew driver Alexander Sirkeli; the relevant decree has been made public.
The award was given "for bravery, courage, and dedication displayed in the performance of professional duty."
On March 24, Izvestia correspondent Alexander Fedorchak, along with a cameraman and a driver for the Zvezda TV channel, Andrey Panov and Alexander Sirkeli, were killed in a Ukrainian artillery attack on the rural settlement of Mikhailovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic. Zvezda TV channel correspondent Nikita Goldin was also seriously wounded. Ukrainian forces targeted the car of the filming crew with HIMARS missiles.
On March 26, the press service of Channel One reported to TASS that journalist Anna Prokofieva was killed while performing her professional duty in the Belgorod Region, while cameraman Dmitry Volkov, who was accompanying her, was injured.