He wasn’t wearing UN blue with PRESS patches, instead wearing Russian camo. That’s a big no no. Even non standard RA kit like black body armor is better. But you gotta wear white PRESS patches if you don’t want to be mistaken for a combatant. That being said, all embedded correspondents take the risk. No situation is ideal, but a technical with military markings is absolutely fair game.
I agree no journalist should ever be targeted, regardless of their bias. Knowing Poddubny shouldn’t be targeted is why I know a NYT journalist won’t be targeted. They are in live combat zones though, and sadly people uninvolved do die in war.
Source: work in doc/investigative journalism
Here’s an example of what his kit should look like:
Uhm, I just spent the last 15 minutes looking through Google image results for war correspondents in Iraq and Afghanistan d, but all I find is people wearing very distinguishable outfits from the servicemen in desert combat fatigues. A lot of the dark blue vests and helmets… even civilian clothes… so I’d like to tell you you are incorrect.
He wasn’t wearing UN blue with PRESS patches, instead wearing Russian camo. That’s a big no no. Even non standard RA kit like black body armor is better. But you gotta wear white PRESS patches if you don’t want to be mistaken for a combatant. That being said, all embedded correspondents take the risk. No situation is ideal, but a technical with military markings is absolutely fair game.
I agree no journalist should ever be targeted, regardless of their bias. Knowing Poddubny shouldn’t be targeted is why I know a NYT journalist won’t be targeted. They are in live combat zones though, and sadly people uninvolved do die in war.
Source: work in doc/investigative journalism
Here’s an example of what his kit should look like:
American journalists didn’t wear UN blue in Iraq and Afghanistan…
Uhm, I just spent the last 15 minutes looking through Google image results for war correspondents in Iraq and Afghanistan d, but all I find is people wearing very distinguishable outfits from the servicemen in desert combat fatigues. A lot of the dark blue vests and helmets… even civilian clothes… so I’d like to tell you you are incorrect.