Fox News sued by family of Ukrainian producer killed during Russian invasion
Stephen BattaglioMarch 15, 2024
The family of a producer who was killed while covering Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has filed a lawsuit against Fox News, saying the network’s negligence led to her death.
The wrongful death lawsuit filed in New York court on Thursday by the parents of Sasha Kuvshynova alleged that Fox News ignored warnings from local officials and security experts not to travel to the dangerous area near Kiev, where another day earlier journalist had been murdered.
Shortly after the conflict began, Kuvshynova, then 24, was hired as a local fixer to travel with Fox News correspondent Ben Hall and photojournalist Pierre Zakrewski. On March 14, 2022, a vehicle carrying the trio was hit by Russian artillery shells near the city limits of Irpin and Hostomel, Ukraine.
Kuvshynova and Zakrewski were killed while Hall was seriously injured, losing part of his leg and an eye.
Hall returned to work at Fox News and wrote a best-selling book about the incident and recovery. He recently went on a trip
through back
to Ukraine for an interview with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky
j
.
Shane Thomson, a security guard
advisor advisor
who worked for Fox News in Ukraine is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit, which says the network tried to make him a scapegoat for the tragedy. Thomson, who was not with Hall’s crew at the time of the incident, said he and another security adviser had warned journalists not to travel to the area where the attack took place.
According to the lawsuit, a ban on journalists in the area was imposed by Ukrainian authorities and the mayor of Irpin. A local driver who
What
Working with Hall’s crew also refused to travel in the area, citing the danger.
A Fox News representative said in a statement that there were a number of untruths in the lawsuit.
While we understand and continue to mourn the loss of both Pierre Zakrzewski and Sasha Kuvshynova, we will respectfully defend ourselves against the inaccurate claims in this lawsuit,” the statement said. “The safety of our journalists has always been our first priority and we are deeply grateful to the Fox News reporters who covered the war in Ukraine and remain committed to reporting from the region.
Kushynova’s parents, who are seeking unspecified damages, said they were pressured by Fox to waive all claims against the company and sign a non-disparagement agreement in exchange for their daughter’s owed salary and a payment from the company’s insurer.
Hall and HarperCollins, the publisher of the correspondent’s memoir, are also named in the lawsuit. Prosecutors say Hall’s book is called “Saved: A War Reporter’s Mission to Make It Home.”
,
” provides a false account of the details surrounding the deadly attack to conceal Fox’s alleged misconduct.
“The actual circumstances of Sasha’s death, which contradict official statements from Fox, Ben Hall and HarperCollins, were not discovered until almost two years later through investigation by their counsel. New information and new contradictions continue to be discovered to this day always exposed.” the lawsuit states.
According to Hall’s book, Russian forces were believed to be 50 kilometers away from the area where the attack took place. “In reality, upon information and belief, upon their return from Horenka, via Hostomel, the crew was within a mile of the Russian forces when they were killed, and less than a quarter of a mile from the city limits of Irpin,” the indictment said .
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.