Arnaud De Decker, known for his work with Bruzz, left last year for Ukraine to become a foreign correspondent for various media outlets, such as Het Laatste Nieuws and Yann Barthes’ program, Daily. Recently, while with the 92nd brigade of the Ukrainian army in Bakhmout, two Russian missiles exploded close to him and his group, prompting them to flee to a safer location. After this intense experience, Arnaud plans to continue covering the situation in Ukraine, specifically the daily lives of Volodymyr Zelensky’s troops. However, he does intend to take some time to rest before returning to work.
Journalist notably for Bruzz, Arnaud De Decker chose last year to leave for Ukraine to become a foreign correspondent for several media, including Het Laatste Nieuws, or for the program Daily by Yann Barthes.
Two days ago, the young man from Brussels was on the hot spot on the front, in Bakhmout, with the 92nd brigade of the Ukrainian army when two Russian missiles exploded a few tens of meters from him.
“With a 25-year-old Ukrainian soldier, we approached the front, regarding 500 meters from the Russians. There, we took shelter in the ruins of a building that had been dynamited,” Arnaud De Decker told Bruzz. He was interviewing the young soldier, filming the exchange, when a first missile explosion occurred. Quickly followed by a second, ten meters from the group, as the journalist explains: “It started with a whistle, which was very close. Then there was the explosion. There was black smoke everywhere , I mightn’t see anything. I had a ringing in my ears. The soldier I was with was screaming.”
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Spotted by the Russian forces, Arnaud and the soldiers who accompanied him then fled their hiding place, sprinting for 500 meters to take shelter elsewhere. “I had a cramp in my right leg. But in those moments, we don’t think. We run, that’s all. It’s purely survival”.
For the Belgian, following this “very intense” experience, it’s time to rest. He intends to return to Belgium at some point, but for now, he wants to continue reporting on the reality on the ground in Ukraine, and the daily life of Volodymyr Zelensky’s troops.
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Arnaud De Decker’s bravery and dedication to his work as a foreign correspondent in Ukraine is truly commendable. Despite facing danger firsthand, he continues to report on the reality of life on the frontlines and shed light on the struggles of Ukrainian soldiers. We wish him a safe return to Belgium and hope that his coverage helps bring attention to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the violence and we can only hope that a resolution is reached soon.