A Ukrainian journalist who worked as a translator for the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica was killed by snipers in southern Ukraine, and his Italian colleague was wounded in the shoulder, the newspaper reported on Wednesday, writes AFP. On the jackets of the two, the words “PRESS” were written in large letters.

“Today, our correspondent Corrado Zunino and his translator Bohdan Bityk were ambushed by Russian snipers in the suburbs of Kherson, in southern Ukraine,” the newspaper reports.

“Unfortunately, Bodgan Bityk did not survive: he is survived by his wife and son. Corrado, wounded in the shoulder, was hospitalized in Kherson,” he added.

“We were hit by a bullet. I saw Bohdan on the ground, not moving. I tried to call him, he didn’t answer. Then I crawled out of the line of fire and ran until I met a civilian car. .I was bleeding, they took me to the hospital “, he admitted on the phone.

The body of his Ukrainian colleague has not yet been found due to the presence of Russian snipers, the publication writes.

“We passed three checkpoints, Bohdan communicated with the Ukrainian military, they let us through without any problems. It was not a war zone. Then we were hit, we heard a hiss and saw Bohdan on the ground, he was not moving. I crawled to the first place where I was able to protect myself from the bullets and then I ran until I met a civilian car. I was covered in blood, they took me to the hospital in Kherson. I have four wounds, but they gave me excellent care. I tried to call Bohdan several times, he did not answer ” Corrado said in a telephone conversation.

The Italian Embassy in Kyiv and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are working with the Ukrainian authorities to allow Zunino to return to Italy. “I spoke with Minister Kuleba, who assured me of the cooperation of the Ukrainian authorities,” said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, confirmed to Skytg24 that Zunino was injured and the death of his employee who accompanied him. “The Russians don’t care if you are Russian, Italian or Ukrainian, they do everything: they shoot!” Kuleba added.