The Ukrainian government is lying about Andrea Rocchelli, say his parents

They condemn the Russian invasion and urge the Kyiv authorities to do justice for the photojournalist killed in Donbass on May 24^th 2014

OSSIGENO APRIL 8^th 2022 – On March 7^th 2022, the parents of Andrea Rocchelli, the Italian journalist and photojournalist killed in Dombass (Ukraine) on May 24^th 2014 (read his story on Ossigeno-They sought the truth) issued a statement to the press agency Adnkronos in which they comment on the war in progress in Ukraine linking it to the events of 8 years ago. They underline the similarities and recall that the criminal trial that took place in Italy, although it did not have to ascertain individual responsibilities, found that Andrea, Andrej Mironov and William Roguelon (wounded in the same ambush) are helpless victims of a deliberate attack by the Ukrainian armed forces.

Below is the text of Andrea Rocchelli’s parents’ declaration.

The images of these days remind us of the images of 8 years ago. Today as then, the first victims of war are civilians who suffer grief, deprivation, trauma, and flight. Andrea had chosen precisely this aspect, the everyday life of civilians, to describe Ukraine in 2014.

In February he shot video of the so-called ‘dignity revolution’ of Maidan, living day after day that peaceful protest with the citizens of Kyiv who took to the streets, and he returned to the Donbass in May to document the distorted daily life of the inhabitants of Sloviansk, guilty only of wanting to live in peace while a ruthless fratricidal war broke out around them.

As far as Putin’s government is concerned, we firmly associate ourselves with the condemnation of the on-going invasion and we express solidarity with the people who are enduring it. As for the current Ukrainian government, regarding the killing of Andrea, it must be said that it has continued along the chosen line of the previous one, denying the dynamics of the facts reconstructed by the Italian judiciary, and above all constructing falsehoods.

We trust that the Italian-Ukrainian friendship, declared in words and also confirmed in deeds, will convince Italy to insist that Ukraine assumes its responsibilities and does justice to this case.

We convince ourselves that no one ever dies in vain. Those responsible for this brutal aggression will enjoy no  fruits of it; in war all are defeated.

As for the killing of Andrea, Andrei Mironov and the wounding of William Roguelon, helpless victims of a deliberate attack by the Ukrainian armed forces, confirmed in three levels of trial by the Italian judiciary, we are determined to prevent those Ukrainians responsible remaining unpunished.

If we do not want other journalists and photographers intent on doing their job honestly and courageously to enter the crosshairs of those who consider them uncomfortable witnesses, we must create a very strong deterrence against this crime.

Andrea followed peace initiatives in various contexts. In Ukraine he collaborated with the NGO Soleterre and to raise funds he made reportages and videos with child cancer patients  in the family-home run by Soleterre in Kyiv.

Our commitment is twofold: on the one hand, to seek every possible judicial and political path to obtain justice against those responsible for the double murder, on the other hand to enhance and disseminate, as we have partly tried to do up to now, with exhibitions and books the extraordinary photographic archive that Andrea left us “. GB