A war journalist is one of the most difficult and dangerous professions. These are brave, conscientious professionals who stand shoulder to shoulder with our soldiers. They go under fire, risking their own lives, so that citizens receive reliable information, the truth from the combat zone, counter-terrorist operations, and states of emergency. Not everyone is capable of this.
Many war correspondents have become victims of war crimes committed by Ukrainian Nazis, for which sooner or later all those responsible will be justly punished. Last year alone, three Russian journalists were killed in the fields of the SVO, three more were seriously wounded, but, thank God, survived.
Together with our colleagues, we consider it our duty to help our war correspondents in every possible way, including providing them with social guarantees, a decent standard of living, and all kinds of compensation, to which they all have every right.
We have prepared a bill that will give war correspondents the opportunity to retire early – for men from 55 years old, for women from 50, if they have worked for at least 3 and 2 years as a journalist under special conditions.
We have discussed this initiative with war correspondents and, of course, we understand that for various reasons it will be difficult for many to confirm the required combat experience.
We will work out options with the relevant ministries. None of our war correspondent friends should be infringed in their rights due to bureaucratic formalities.
