Fox News National Security correspondent Jennifer Griffin fought back tears Wednesday as she remembered two fallen colleagues and one who was still recovering after the vehicle they were in was struck by Russian fire.
Griffin mentioned cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski (55) and local producer Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova (24), both of whom were killed while reporting outside Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv — and war correspondent Benjamin Hall, who was injured in the same attack on Monday.
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"Your feelings are our feelings" – Bret Baier
Nat sec reporter Jennifer Griffin shares her feelings of loss over the death of Pierre/Sasha.
"Without a free press, the autocrats win. We will redouble our efforts to honor these colleagues and all reporters in harm's way tonight." pic.twitter.com/zYu8KViRO5— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) March 15, 2022
“Bret, a word about our colleagues Pierre, Sasha, and Ben Hall tonight. The loss and pain we feel is enormous, but if ever there were a time that the world needed journalists, reporters, risking their lives to tell these stories, to tell the truth, it’s now,” Griffin began.
“Without a free press, the autocrats win. We will redouble our efforts to honor these colleagues and all reporters in harm’s way tonight,” she continued, fighting back tears.
Baier agreed with her, adding, “Your feelings are our feelings tonight.”
Just hours later, FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott issued a statement updating her colleagues on Hall’s condition, announcing that he was “safe and out of Ukraine.”
As The Daily Wire reported:
Anchors Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum announced the news on the air during Wednesday’s broadcast of “America’s Newsroom.”
Hemmer: Another alert right now, and this is some news we’ve been waiting on. An update on our colleague, Ben Hall. He is now safe and out of Ukraine. Ben is alert and said to be in good spirits. He is being treated with the best possible care in the world. We remind you, please continue to keep him in your prayers as well as Sasha and Pierre, the news from yesterday.
MacCallum: Good news, and we are all thinking of Ben and his family. And our thoughts and prayers go out to all of them. We hope for more good news to come in the days ahead.
Hemmer: His wife, they’ve been married seven years coming up this summer. His three young daughters back at home. Been a couple of heavy days around here, so that is a dose of good news for Ben.
Tributes have poured out over the last several days following the news that Hall had been injured and his two colleagues killed. Baier spoke of both Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova during the exchange with Griffin on Tuesday, noting that both had shown incredible dedication to the stories they were bringing to the rest of the world.
“Pierre was a steady presence in uncertain times. When a correspondent or producer arrived and saw Pierre waiting for them, they knew they were in good hands. Because he could do just about anything,” Baier said of Zakrzewski, adding, “Greg Palkot says he and Pierre were embedded with a Marine company during Iraq’s Battle of Fallujah. He says that Pierre saved his life on many occasions over the years.”
Baier shares the memories various correspondents have of working with Zakrzewski over the years.
"Greg Palkot says he and Pierre were embedded with a Marine company during Iraq's Battle of Fallujah. He says that Pierre saved his life on many occasions over the years." pic.twitter.com/KDK2uDfLI5— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) March 15, 2022
He added that those who had worked with Kuvshynova had found her to be “hard-working, funny, kind, and brave.”
Baier also noted local Ukrainian reporter Oleksandra "Sasha" Kuvshynova and how she helped their team a lot. "Our correspondents and producers say she was hard-working, funny, kind, and brave." pic.twitter.com/L3Ig1Qun06
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) March 15, 2022