Mail’s £20,000 gift to Ukraine reporters
UKRAINIAN war reporters are being protected by kit bought with the help of a £20,000 donation from the Mail.
At least 21 journalists of all nationalities have been killed since Russia invaded on February 24, with vital body armour initially in short supply.
But the money from the Mail has now provided protective equipment to Ukrainian journalists bravely reporting from the front line, or exposing atrocities committed by Vladimir Putin’s forces.
The cash comes from company funds and not from the generous donations from readers to the Mail
Force Ukraine Appeal. Among those benefiting is renowned photojournalist Bohdan Bortakov, who received a helmet and vest.
Another recipient, Andriy Kovalenko, has been working as a fixer for foreign journalists, helping them tell his country’s stories to readers and viewers around the world.
Praising the donation, he said the equipment had enabled him to reveal the truth about ‘war crimes, executions, mass graves and destroyed cities’. The Daily Mail’s contribution, which was paid via the European Federation of Journalists, is also being used to fund a network of ‘solidarity centres’ where journalists can work and recuperate while sharing knowledge with colleagues.
Sergiy Tomilenko, president of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, said: ‘Journalists and the media are targeted by the Russian invaders as enemies for reporting the war crimes they have committed. So we are very grateful to the Daily Mail for helping to fund equipment to help them report safely from the front line. Your support is extremely important, and priceless.’
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries last night thanked ‘all those working in Ukraine to report on the barbaric Russian invasion and Putin’s despicable actions’. She added: ‘Every day journalists are risking their lives and it is absolutely right that we do all we can to support them.
‘I am very pleased that the Mail has donated support to Ukrainian journalists on the front line.’
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