On Wednesday, 5 November, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) held a tribute in Paris for Antoni Lallican, a French freelance photojournalist who was killed in Ukraine on 3 October. Lallican died during a targeted Russian drone attack while reporting on the conflict.
The 37-year-old journalist was killed in Komychouvakha, eastern Ukraine, by a Russian First Person View (FPV) drone. He was photographing the building of infrastructure designed to slow the Russian invasion.
The evening brought together his relatives, colleagues, and fellow reporters at one of Lallican’s favorite bars, where an exhibition of his photographs was displayed. Colleagues from French media outlets such as Mediapart, Libération, Le Monde, and La Vie shared heartfelt memories, reflecting on his dedication and empathetic storytelling in conflict zones.
“The current level of contempt for international law and the protection of journalists around the world is deeply troubling. Dying is not an acceptable professional hazard. A journalist’s job is to go where no one wants them to go. It is not to turn away from the fire – it’s to go straight towards it. Antoni’s work will live on and we pay tribute to him. Justice must be served and those responsible for his assassination must be identified.”
Antoni Lallican’s committed photojournalism captured the human cost of war. His colleagues emphasized the importance of honoring his work and demanded accountability for his death.
Author's summary: Antoni Lallican, a devoted French photojournalist, was tragically killed by a Russian drone in Ukraine; his peers honor his courageous work and call for justice.