Chinese journalist Lu Yuguang injured in Ukrainian drone strike in Kursk Oblast
According to acting Kursk Oblast governor Alexander Khinshtein, Chinese journalist Lu Yuguang, a 63-year-old reporter with Phoenix TV, was reportedly injured in a Ukrainian drone strike near the Russia-Ukraine border in the village of Korenevo. The governor stated that Lu sustained an open head injury and a contusion on the parietal region of his skull. Despite these injuries, he declined hospitalization after being examined at a regional hospital. Khinshtein urged the public to avoid traveling to the border area, citing the dangers posed by the ongoing cross-border hostilities.
Khinshtein emphasized that the journalist’s injuries were relatively minor, noting that ‘fortunately, the journalist received skin wounds on the head. No other damage was found.’ However, this incident is said to be the first reported case of a Chinese journalist being injured in Russia’s Kursk Oblast as a result of cross-border drone strikes during the war with Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims due to the lack of direct evidence.
The region has been a focal point of cross-border operations amid Moscow’s full-scale war against Ukraine. Ukrainian forces launched a significant incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first large-scale invasion of Russian territory by foreign troops since World War II. This move aimed to disrupt a planned Russian offensive targeting Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast and relieve pressure on the Donetsk front. Since then, Ukraine has claimed to have inflicted 63,402 Russian troop casualties in the oblast, including 25,625 killed and 971 captured. Additionally, Ukrainian forces reported destroying or damaging over 5,664 pieces of Russian military equipment in the area.
Russia retook much of the lost territory during a renewed offensive in March 2025, supported by North Korean troops. This development highlights the complex and evolving nature of the conflict, with international actors becoming increasingly involved. The situation underscores the dangers faced by civilians and journalists in conflict zones, particularly in regions where cross-border attacks are frequent and the presence of multiple combatants complicates the humanitarian landscape.