The offices of German broadcasters ARD and Deutsche Welle were damaged in Russian overnight strikes on Kiev, according to statements released on Sunday.
The TV studio used by correspondents for German public broadcaster ARD was badly damaged, ARD’s affiliate broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) in Cologne said following the massive assault that left four dead and some 100 injured across Ukraine.
A blast wave from the Russian attacks likely caused destruction in the centrally located studio. Windows were shattered, rooms were devastated and walls collapsed, the WDR said in a statement. No one was in the studio at the time of the attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the studio is located inside the building of the National Art Museum which was damaged in the attacks. “The structural safety of the building must now be checked,” the WDR said. Reporting would continue backed by “mobile technical solutions and alternative options.”
“Torn-out window frames, splinters everywhere, destroyed equipment – seeing your own workplace completely devastated is a shock,” said Kiev ARD studio head Vassili Golod. His team would not be intimidated by the Russian attacks, he said.
WDR Director-General Katrin Vernau said she was “very relieved that our staff were not injured in this attack,” according to the statement. Reporting would continue even under the dangerous conditions and the state of emergency “so that people in Germany get the most important information from Ukraine first-hand”.
Deutsche Welle offices also hit
The Kiev bureau of Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international broadcaster, was also hit, with windows and ceilings damaged in the strikes, Deutsche Welle said in a statement.
“Fortunately, no one was in the office during the attack,” bureau chief Mykola Berdnyk was quoted as saying.
“Despite the difficult night, our colleagues in Kyiv showed up for their regular shifts in the newsroom this morning.”
“Even though Kyiv is increasingly exposed to Russian aerial attacks, the motivation of DW journalists on the ground remains undiminished. They know that their work is more important than ever, especially in times like these.”