Igor Tkachenko, a photo-correspondent of Ukrinform news agency, was beaten in Donetsk on March 16, after “Shakhtar” – “Metallist” football match.
According to Ostrov Internet-edition, referring to the suffered journalist, when he was fulfilling his professional duties, he was attacked by “Olimpiyskiy” stadium director Hennadiy Kalishchuk. The latter, yelling out threats to the journalists, forbade to make photos of “Shakhtar” FC owner Rinat Akhmetov, who was present in the VIP-box of the stadium. In addition to R.Akhmetov, there were also lawmaker Borys Kolesnikov and Donetsk Oblast governor Volodymyr Lohvynenko.
The correspondent asked why he is forbidden to make photos of these people. In response, the stadium director strongly stroke on the photo-camera, and then, punched the correspondent in the face. After that, according to I.Tkachenko, he kept on threatening, up to physical reprisal of H.Kalyshchuk outside the stadium.
After the accident, I.Tkachenko, called police and draw up a respective application.
After the police departed, the journalist was taken by an ambulance car to Kalinin hospital’s neuro-surgery department, which diagnosed that the journalist had a brain concussion and a soft tissue bruise of his face. Presently I.Tkachenko is undergoing medical treatment in the Kalinin hospital in Donetsk.
At the same time, “Olimpiyskiy” stadium director Hennadiy Kalishchuk denies that he beat the journalist. “Do you have logic? Where would I have beaten him? There were nearly 22 thousand fans at the much, watching us”, he said to “Ostrov” Internet-newspaper.
H.Kalishchuk surmises that, probably, the journalist needs a PR, that is why he claimed that as if H.Kalishchuk attacked him.
