Pierre Zakrzewski, Fox News Videographer, Killed In Ukraine

New York City NY

15 March, 2022

12:48 PM

Description

NEW YORK CITY — A Fox News videographer was killed in Ukraine on Monday when the vehicle he was traveling in near Kyiv was struck by incoming fire, according to multiple reports. Pierre Zakrzewski, 55, was based in London and had covered conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria for Fox, according to a memo sent to the network's employees. Zakrzewski was killed in the same attack that injured Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall. A Ukrainian journalist, Oleksandra Kuvshinova, was also killed in the attack, The Guardian reported. "(Zakrzewski's) passion and talent as a journalist were unmatched," Suzanne Scott, CEO of Fox News Media, said in the memo provided to Patch. "His talents were vast and there wasn't a role that he didn't jump in to help with in the field — from photographer to engineer to editor to producer — and he did it all under immense pressure with tremendous skill." Zakrzewski's death follows Sunday's death of documentary filmmaker Brent Renaud, another veteran of covering war zones. Renaud was killed when Russian forces opened fire on his vehicle. Last year, Zakrzewski played a key role in getting Fox's freelancers and their families out of Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal, Scott said. He was given an "unsung hero" award at an annual employee event. He had been working in Ukraine since February. Tributes to Zakrzewski from colleagues poured in Tuesday. "This is how I want to remember Pierre Zakrzewski. Big smiles. Fantastic human being. Kind, generous & radiates an upbeat can-do energy. From Kabul to Kyiv, he never stopped wanting to help," tweeted Marcus Yam, a roving correspondent and photojournalist with the Los Angeles Times. "We are heartbroken at the loss of our beloved Pierre Zakrzewski," Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum tweeted. "Had the honor to work with him many times in the comfort of London over the years. But his courage & outstanding journalism in the dangerous places is his true legacy. That and his great smile. RIP Pierre." "I worked with Pierre many times around the world. He was an absolute treasure," tweeted Fox News anchor John Roberts. "Sending our most heartfelt prayers to Pierre's wife and family." In Washington on Tuesday, Ukrainian ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova thanked reporters who are on the ground in Ukraine, according to The Associated Press. "Risking their lives to tell the world the truth" is something that Ukraine and the world desperately need, she said at the National Press Club.