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France Probes War Crime After Journalist Antoni Lallican Killed in Russian Drone Strike
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![Photo of Maryna Kulakova]( "Photo of Maryna Kulakova")
French prosecutors have launched an investigation into potential war crimes following the death of photojournalist Antoni Lallican in Donetsk region, according to France 24 on October 6.
The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) confirmed that the case will be handled by the Central Office for the Fight against Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes.
The 38-year-old French photojournalist was killed near Druzhkivka on October 3 in a targeted strike by a Russian drone. He had been on assignment in the Donetsk region for the Hans Lucas agency.
Ukrainian photojournalist and member of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, Hryhorii Ivanchenko, was also injured in the attack. Both journalists were wearing protective gear and bulletproof vests clearly marked “Press.”
Lallican worked with leading French and international publications, including Le Monde, Le Figaro, Libération, Mediapart, Der Spiegel, Zeit, Die Welt, Le Temps, Der Standard, and La Presse, among many others.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in March 2022, Lallican came to Ukraine to document the impact of the war. He began a long-term project focusing on the lives of residents in Donetsk. In January 2024, he was awarded the Victor Hugo Prize for Committed Photography for his series “Suddenly the Sky Darkened.”
Under international humanitarian law, attacks on journalists during armed conflicts are considered serious violations of the laws and customs of war.
According to the European and International Federations of Journalists, at least 17 journalists have been killed in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, while UNESCO has reported 22 media workers killed.
Earlier, it was reported that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) launched a new annual initiative to honor war correspondents and journalists, titled “Victory for Victoria.”
