We all burst into tears at the Ukrainian checkpoint. A car of foreign journalists “PRESS” led the evacuation convoy, headed for the occupiers and saved a group of civilian Ukrainians from the shelling in Irpin. The journalist of the British pan-Arab TV channel AlAraby Tv (chief of the Turkish bureau) Adnan Can Atayturkmen informed the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine about this. Currently, a film crew of international TV presenters, who yesterday called SOS to the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine and also to Ukrainian and international media because of their mortal danger, is safe in Kyiv. Adnan emotionally calls his rescue together with 20 Ukrainians a miracle. After all, out of desperation, the exhausted hostages dared to march directly to the checkpoint of the Russian invaders.
We publish the direct speech of the British journalist Adnan:
– We lived 4 days and 4 nights under siege in a location about 2 kilometers near Irpin. We waited 4 days for humanitarian organizations or the Red Cross, but they could not reach us. Unfortunately, the Russian army set up checkpoints in the area and no one could reach us. So, we decided to take a risk because we couldn’t stay there without food, electricity, internet, communications, water. We discussed what to do, and finally decided with about 20 Ukrainian civilians to take a risk and take the road from our location to Kyiv. We had cars so we formed a column. My colleague Habip (Habip Demirci) and I were at the beginning of the column in a car marked “Press” and a white flag. We started our way through a dangerous road, saw many destroyed civilian cars, corpses of civilians near the road. About 1 kilometer of our road and Russian soldiers blocked our way. They hid in the woods, blocked our way and stopped us. They asked us about our direction and we told that we are journalists and we have a group of civilians with us and we are going to Kyiv. They checked our documents and press cards. Our driver spoke to them in Russian. They searched our car, looked at our camera and let us through this checkpoint. After that, they took turns stopping each civilian car and checking it. We were all allowed to cross the checkpoint and move on, and after about 2 kilometers we finally met the Ukrainian army, it was a checkpoint of the Ukrainian army! In fact, it was a very emotional moment. We all cried, really, we all cried at the checkpoint of the Ukrainian army, we hugged each other – women, men – everyone cried. It was a very dangerous road. During the 4 nights we were there, the Russians fired in our direction, and once a bullet flew 10 centimeters from my head. It was a miracle that we left this place. Thank God! Thanks to everyone who tried to help us! Thank you for being in touch with me, Ukrainian journalists (NUJU). I am now in Kyiv with my cameraman, we have already contacted the representatives of our TV channel in London. We still have our camera, the necessary equipment and we are going to get official accreditation. We are going to continue our important journalistic work in Ukraine.
The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine expresses solidarity with our international colleagues who courageously perform their professional duties in Ukraine.
– We admire the courage and bravery of Adnan and his colleagues, – said the President of the National Union of Journalists Sergiy Tomilenko. – Despite the mortal threat, the journalists saved themselves and a group of peaceful Ukrainians. We hope that in such circumstances this film crew definitely deserves official accreditation to work in Ukraine.
