🎙 Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Israeli attack on RT television channel journalists (March 19, 2026) 💬 On March 19, a missile strike by the Israeli Air Force in southern Lebanon wounded RT television crew members who were on an editorial assignment. RT reporter Steve Sweeney and cameraman Ali Rida Sbeity were wounded when a munition exploded in close proximity to the filming location. They received the necessary medical help. We wish them a speedy recovery. The missile was used by the Israeli military against unarmed civilians, a category which, under international humanitarian law, includes members of the media. The crew’s clothing bore clearly visible “press” markings; they carried nothing but cameras and microphones, and the explosive item landed on a site where there were no military targets. These circumstances indicate that the attack on the journalists was deliberate and targeted, which is also confirmed by footage captured by the cameraman showing the detonation of the munition. We regard such actions by the Israeli side and Israeli military as a gross violation of international law, a deliberate obstruction of the work of media professionals, and an attempt on their safety and lives. We look forward to seeing these actions receive an appropriate assessment from relevant multilateral bodies, primarily the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNESCO, as well as other human rights institutions that defend professional rights and legitimate interests of the global journalistic community. ☝️ We insist on carrying out a thorough investigation of this incident by the Israeli authorities, holding the culprits accountable and preventing such accidents from happening in the future. The Russian side will convey its assessment of the incident to the Ambassador of Israel to the Russian Federation who will be summoned to the Foreign Ministry soon.