A reporter nearly stumbled on a grenade during a live interview from Ukraine.
Matthew Chance, CNN’s senior international correspondent, reacted calmly during a live report from Ukraine on Monday when he noticed he was crouching beside a grenade.
Ukraine faces its fifth day of Russia’s special military operations. While talks have kicked off between negotiators in Belarus, it comes amid rising tensions between Russia and NATO states, further casualties, and at least 500,000 refugees fleeing the country.
Chance was at the site of a recent battle on the outskirts of Kyiv, speaking on air to a colleague in the U.S. when he stood up and retreated several steps.
He said: “Oh actually — I was crouching down right by a grenade. I didn’t see that, so let’s move away from that,” backing farther away before smoothly continuing his report about the Ukrainian resistance against Russian troops there earlier.
He continued his report saying: “(Ukraine) has been bolstered by the arrival of stinger missiles and anti-tank missiles from the United States and other countries in the west.”
“Just yesterday, Sweden announced that it was delivering 5,000 anti-tank missiles to this country to help Ukrainians defend against the Russian invasion. It is with the help of that weaponry that they have been able to really cause the Russians a significant amount of pain,” Chance added.
Chance also showed viewers what he described as the “still smoking,” twisted metal wreckage from armored vehicles, debris, and ammunition boxes from the Russian offensive. He said: “There’s unexploded grenades … like pineapple grenades everywhere. A real scene of devastation.”
He also pointed out the body of a Russian soldier. He revealed: “I toured this area earlier and there were some terrible things that we can’t really show you on camera. In terms of dead bodies. Russians.”
The clip was shared on Twitter, where it’s since racked up more than 100,000 views. Chance has been on the front lines in Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine early Thursday morning.
Russian troops have met unexpectedly fierce resistance on the ground in multiple cities and towns, including Ukraine’s capital and its second-largest city, Kharkiv.
An adviser to Kyiv’s interior minister said that Russian forces still have control of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, although dozens were reportedly killed in shelling on the latter city with hundreds of injured.
According to President Zelensky, Russia is persuading the Ukrainian Government to issue a 36-hours curfew in the city to look for saboteurs because President Putin has already sent hundreds of mercenaries to kill him.
The United Nations has estimated at least 102 civilians to have been killed since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, according to chief Michelle Bachelet, with a further 104 injured, although the actual death toll could be “considerably higher”.
President Zelenskyy also announced that some prisoners with combat experience would be released to join the fight in Ukraine.
He said: “The key is defense now… under conditions of hostilities, Ukrainians with real combat experience will be released. They have the ability to atone for their guilt in the hottest spots of the war.”
Clive Myrie, BBC Journalist, said that “anything can happen” in a live warzone after his broadcast from the capital of Kyiv was interrupted by an air-raid siren.
Myrie said: “We heard the air raid sirens; we have put on our flak jackets. One wonders what the people of this city and indeed right across this country are now thinking. They prayed for peace and with all the diplomacy over the last few weeks and months, they hoped that would be the case. Now we are in a major conflict.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the Russian invasion as a catastrophe for our continent.
Recommended Video For You!
‘Venom Man’ Lets Deadliest Snakes Bite Him