Fox News and Journalist Accused in Lawsuit Over Deaths in Ukraine

<figure><img alt="WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 12: Benjamin Hall Hosts Fox News Sunday at FOX News D.C. Bureau on May 12, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/IMNSYNFCVJDW7JGYLN663AIKCI.jpg?auth=33683735bc495bb146a95562f5dfbc4ab10e734cb53e000cf65effc9c0967fe0&amp;smart=true&amp;width=5070&amp;height=2852" /><figcaption>Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images</figcaption></figure><p>Two high-risk security advisers who have worked for Fox News have accused the network and journalist Benjamin Hall of negligence related to the deaths of four individuals in Ukraine. They claim that warnings to avoid an active war zone outside Kyiv in March 2022 were ignored, leading to a Russian strike on the vehicle carrying the team. The attack resulted in the deaths of a Fox News producer and videographer, as well as two Ukrainian soldiers, while Hall sustained serious injuries.</p><p>Hall, who has authored a book about the incident, is now facing allegations of endangering others. Aaron King, one of the security advisers, stated, "If you took Benji out of the equation, this never would have happened," during an interview with National Public Radio.</p><p>The report coincides with a lawsuit filed by the parents of slain journalist Oleksha “Sasha” Kuvshynova against Fox News, alleging “reckless and negligent conduct” that endangered their daughter’s life. Shane Thomson, the second adviser, has joined this lawsuit, claiming that Fox News has scapegoated him for the incident that resulted in the deaths of Kuvshynova, photojournalist Pierre Zakrzewski, and two Ukrainian soldiers. Hall was the only survivor from the group but lost his right leg below the knee, his left foot, and an eye.</p><p>According to the advisers, Hall and Fox News disregarded specific warnings about the dangers of traveling to the area outside Kyiv, where their vehicle was struck by a Russian shell. Stephen Humphreys, a lawyer representing the Kuvshynovs and Thomson, noted that the danger was avoidable and that they had been warned about the exact time and place they should not go.</p><p>A spokesperson for Fox News did not respond immediately to inquiries from the Daily Beast. However, a representative stated to NPR that while they mourn the losses of Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova, they will defend against the claims in the lawsuit, asserting that the safety of journalists is a priority for the network. This statement was consistent with what was previously provided to the Daily Beast in 2024.</p><img alt="" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/6K3PTBH5URCTPAL5DDG2LLZUAM.jpg?auth=794aa0ca827661031f3d78b96a434b67317d8195c2b5c83d29cfea30f8505caa&amp;smart=true&amp;width=3651&amp;height=5477" /><p>The lawsuit alleges that Fox News pressured its reporting team to enter a hazardous region despite warnings from locals and security consultants, exposing the crew to potential attacks. Kuvshynova’s parents also claim that Fox News attempted to obscure its responsibility following the incident, alleging a campaign of misrepresentation to shift blame to Thomson.</p><p>In addition to Fox News and its executives, the lawsuit names Hall as a defendant, claiming he provided a false account of Kuvshynova's death in his memoir <i>Saved: A War Reporter’s Mission to Make It Home</i>, published last year. The lawsuit suggests that Hall may be more appropriately aligned as a victim of Fox News's actions.</p><img alt="Firefighters extinguish a fire inside a residential building that was hit by a missile on Feb. 25, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. / Pierre Crom/Getty" height="1952" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/TMZJUAZKO5INFPLX6PPZ6TZYRE.jpg?auth=866222510304d80ad5a9d1bfd5b3300b3bade181e0be1e9cff9d6ad8e6394e89&amp;smart=true&amp;width=3000&amp;height=1952" width="3000" /><p>King expressed that he warned Hall against traveling to Kyiv, questioning what he hoped to achieve that had not already been accomplished by other teams. King recounted that Hall seemed to consider his warnings briefly before deciding to proceed anyway, stating, "Ah, I’ll go anyway," which was the last time he saw Hall.</p><p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-star-blamed-for-producer-oleksha-sasha-kuvshynovas-death-in-explosive-report/">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p>