Brent Renaud

Brent Renaud was a 50-year-old American documentary filmmaker and journalist from Little Rock, Arkansas. He and his brother Craig Renaud had a long career producing films on conflict and humanitarian crises for outlets including The New York Times, HBO, and NBC News, often focusing on the human impact of war.

On March 13, 2022, Renaud was working in Irpin, a suburb northwest of Kyiv that saw intense fighting during the Russian advance on the capital. According to Ukrainian police and reports from colleagues, he was in a vehicle with other journalists when they encountered a checkpoint. Ukrainian authorities stated Russian forces fired on the vehicle. Renaud was shot in the neck and died at the scene. A second journalist, Juan Arredondo, was wounded.

Renaud's death occurred during the first month of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022. The town of Irpin was a key battleground on the approach to Kyiv, with Ukrainian forces defending a critical bridge. The area was subjected to heavy shelling, and many civilians were killed while attempting to evacuate.

The Committee to Protect Journalists confirmed his death was work-related. The White House and the U.S. State Department condemned the killing and called for accountability. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posthumously awarded Renaud the Order of Courage, third degree.

Renaud was remembered by colleagues for his empathetic, on-the-ground storytelling. His death highlighted the acute dangers faced by journalists covering the war. The Renaud Brothers' body of work, which documented conflicts from Iraq to Haiti, continues to be cited for its focus on civilian experiences.

Brent Renaud was killed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine (concluded November -0001). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Maks Levin, Pierre Zakrzewski, Oleksandra Kuvshynova, Oksana Baulina.

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