Star correspondents who died in that 154. Last business trip
The list of dead journalists includes three employees of Channel One. This is the group of correspondent Dmitry Runkov: cameraman Vadim Denisov and sound engineer Alexander Soydov were flying with him.
The NTV channel sent correspondent Mikhail Luzhetsky, sound engineer Evgeniy Tolstov and cameraman Oleg Pestov to Syria.
“Zvezda” was represented by journalist Pavel Obukhov, cameraman Alexander Suranov and his assistant Valery Rzhevsky.
Channel One columnist Anton Vernitsky:
Unfortunately, I did not know Dmitry Runkov very well. He's only been working with us for a year. Came to First from Arkhangelsk television. He was only 30 years old. And I knew Vadik Denisov very well. We worked with him in Chechnya. He actually went through a lot of hot spots. You know, so calm, quiet. The main thing is reliable. He loved cars very much, he was passionate about them.
In general, he loved his work very much and immediately agreed to a business trip to Syria: after all, such a trip, and even before the New Year, was interesting for him.
The son of our operator Volodya Rzhevsky died on this plane. Valery from the Zvezda TV channel. Volodya is now in China working on a business trip, we just called him. It's just terrible.
Klim Sanatkin, Channel One correspondent:
I saw Vadim and Sasha Soydov a few hours before their departure. He wished them good luck and also asked them to convey greetings to our military in Syria. I knew Vadim Denisov very well. I worked with him inside and out for a month and a half in Aleppo. And in Latakia he was at our base and on the ship. He never hid behind other people's backs, and most importantly, he was a very professional person. I just found out about this tragedy, I just can’t come to my senses. And as for Dima Runkov... After all, they could have sent me on this business trip in the same way. But they sent him... It happened.
Alexey Ivliev, NTV correspondent:
I knew Oleg Pestov very well. Starting from the Second Chechen War, he was in all the hot spots - Donetsk, Tajikistan. Now he was supposed to go to Syria for the second time. In general, operators are simple people, they dress in whatever they want. And Oleg always wore a jacket and wore it to any task. He never refused anything; he didn’t need to repeat anything a second time. Such a big, big guy, very kind. Do you know how he loved his wife Julia! And he left two sons, just as big.
Zhenya always worked in tandem with Oleg. They are like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, one in the same. Zhenya looked like a forester, he had such a beard. I kept going mushroom hunting.
Misha Luzhetsky worked in Slavyansk for a month, the hottest days. And how he treated his wife Olesya... And how she loved him. I have simply never seen such relationships.
Mikhail Chebonenko, NTV news presenter:
I learned this tragic news right during the live broadcast. And I couldn't believe it. Then I called Misha Luzhetsky, he’s my friend. I hoped that maybe he wasn’t on that plane. After all, they were talking about some other plane. I kept calling and calling... I really wanted him to answer me.
Alexander Dolgikh, producer of NTV information service:
I was Misha Luzhetsky’s boss. We worked together in the emergency program. He is not a journalist by training at all. He worked as a lawyer in the Investigative Committee. And then I decided to become a reporter, to change everything in my life. He was a very kind, bright person. I flew to Ukraine on business trips without fail. Worked in Donbass. He was a very good guy.
During the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, in the very last days, two Izvestia photojournalists, Sekretaryov and Sevruk, got their business trip extended (Sevruk’s dad worked in the Central Committee, the military met Seryozha halfway) and allowed to accompany the convoy. The armored personnel carrier, in which both reporters were, was blown up by a mine, Sekretarev died immediately, Sevruk, all wounded, suffered for several years, but Afghan caught up with him.
Mayak special correspondent Lazarevich was in a helicopter shot down over Karabakh.
Tassovka Volodya Yatsyna was captured and then shot by militants in Chechnya.
Tamerlan Kazikhanov received his bullets during the anti-terrorist operation in Nalchik, but continued to film even after he fell, and the camera lens was covered in his blood...
I knew them. They were all brave and honest journalists. They talked about what they saw to those who did not see it. It was their job, in lofty words - a professional duty, although, of course, no shots and no lines were worth their lives. And even more so, the most talented personnel and lines never made the wars in which journalists died fair only because brave and honest people died in them. And even more so, the footage and lines did not justify those who started all these wars.
But there was still a high justification for their death. It was possible to explain why they walked under bullets and why they were blown up by mines.
Film crews from three federal channels also flew to the war to report on the New Year’s tour of the famous ensemble. Their Tu-154 disappeared from radar screens, and whatever the cause of the disaster, it is a military loss. And, of course, I feel incredibly sorry for the people who gave their young lives just to improve the image of the war in a distant country, to give it the unusual appearance of a concert hall.
One of the dead, Channel One cameraman Vadim Denisov, flew to Syria for the third time. His colleagues say that on a previous business trip, Denisov’s film crew was surrounded, which government troops broke through only two weeks later. So, the film crew did not have time to catch the last helicopter that broke through from the encirclement; it flew away without them and was shot down by terrorists...
By the way, I don’t remember such details of this war on our television screens. It turns out that this war consists not only of ceremonial reports and victory concerts in liberated cities.
Dmitry Runkov Denisov's colleague, thirty years old Dmitry Runkov started in Arkhangelsk. The former head of the Pomorye television company, Tungusov, helped me contact those who once worked with Dmitry. Of course, everyone is shocked, they repeat that the guy was exceptionally talented and in love with his profession. And the First website lists the topics that Runkov has tackled recently: “Whether it was the snow-covered Vostochny cosmodrome or the hot waters of the Mediterranean Sea, from where our missile-carrying ships fired at terrorists in Syria, these were always bright and understandable subjects. Explaining complex things in simple language is the true art of a reporter.”
It is clear that “explaining the complex in simple terms” was the fundamental idea of the planned concert of outstanding Russian masters in the front-line conditions of the Syrian war. Following Gergiev and Roldugin, the Russian Army ensemble had to demonstrate that we are bringing high culture to the Middle East, and not just firing from missile ships.
Fate decreed something completely different. And it’s not just the TV people from Arkhangelsk who are shocked.
Journalists of Channel One 
Mikhail Luzhetsky, Oleg Pestov, Evgeny Tolstov, NTV 
Pavel Obukhov, Alexander Suranov, Valery Rzhevsky, TC “Zvezda” Pavel Obukhov, Alexander Suranov, Valery Rzhevsky from "Star" Dmitry Runkov, Vadim Denisov And Alexander Soydov from the First, enteveshniks Mikhail Luzhetsky, Oleg Pestov And Evgeny Tolstov...
They never broadcast their reports from the concert stage of the Syrian war.
Will this make us all really think about the war?
instead of goodbye
Pashka Obukhov... Pashka and I went on emergency filming in Moscow: fires, murders... He was always jealous of me and his colleagues who make reports from “hot spots”. Maybe that’s why he left to work for Zvezda - to do real journalism. I saw his reports. Honest and bright, like himself! I don’t even know how old he was... Eternal memory!
Sergey Kuznetsov. Photographer. Colleague. Friend
On board the fallen Tu-154, in addition to the other passengers, there were three film crews - Channel One, NTV and the Zvezda TV channel. All channels confirmed the tragic information and changed their broadcast schedule.
First channel
Among the Channel One employees who were on board the Tu-154 military aircraft that crashed in the Black Sea were correspondent Dmitry Runkov, cameraman Vadim Denisov and sound engineer Alexander Soydov.
On his website, First writes that Dmitry Runkov was supposed to be only 30 years old. He began his career as a television journalist in his native Arkhangelsk, and five years ago he moved to St. Petersburg, where he also worked. “No matter what topic Dima subsequently tackled - be it the snow-covered Vostochny cosmodrome or the hot waters of the Mediterranean Sea, from where our missile carriers fired at terrorists in Syria, these were always bright and understandable stories. Explaining complex things in simple language is the true art of a reporter “This is what his colleagues say about him.
Due to his duty, Dmitry often had to deal with military topics. This is not only live shooting: Dmitry made reports on the rehearsal of the Victory Parade and historical reconstructions.
Vadim Denisov has worked on Channel One since 2002. He worked in Syria twice and was awarded state awards. The Channel One story, which appeared on the day of the tragedy, tells how he went on one of the Syrian business trips with his colleague Klim Sanatkin for literally one day, but it turned out to be two weeks. The militants closed the encirclement, preventing the film crew from being withdrawn. So the guys didn’t get on the helicopter, which was eventually destroyed by terrorists. A cinematographer with extensive experience, a highly qualified specialist, a reliable person. Vadim did not refuse this time either. It was not he who was supposed to fly to Syria this time. It was an unplanned trip, which he immediately agreed to. Vadim Denisov is survived by his wife and three children.
Alexander Soydov was 33, married, two children. He was interested in music. Alexander, like Vadim Denisov, this time went to Syria outside of school hours, and also could not refuse. He worked at Channel One for 10 years.
Channel One changed its broadcast schedule in connection with the incident: on Sunday, December 25, the finale of the entertainment show “Exactly the Same” was removed from the air, as well as promotional videos for New Year’s projects and screensavers dedicated to the upcoming holidays. In addition, the live broadcast of the finale of the intellectual and entertainment program “What? Where? When?” was removed from the network. Because of the incident, the channel also postponed the secular premiere of the historical epic “Viking” - it was supposed to take place in Moscow early next week.
NTV
The NTV channel also reported that its journalists were on board the Tu-154. According to the TV channel, this is a correspondent - NTV producer Mikhail Luzhetsky, cameraman Oleg Pestov and sound engineer Evgeny Tolstov. Before departing from Chkalovsk near Moscow, sound engineer Evgeny Tolstov posted a post on his page on the social network Facebook in which he announced that he was going to Latakia.
NTV also announced that it had changed its broadcast schedule - the channel took off the air the evening edition of the Kinoshow program and the new film “This is What Happens to Me,” in which Gosha Kutsenko played the main role. The channel launched breaking news broadcasts and removed announcements of entertainment programs.
On the day of mourning, December 26, NTV removes advertising from the air. Also, the program “Yulia Vysotskaya’s Studio” will not be broadcast and all entertainment sections from “New Morning” will be removed.
The NTV channel aired a news story where colleagues spoke in detail about the victims. NTV cameraman Oleg Pestov and sound engineer Evgeny Tolstov, as a rule, worked together in all hot spots. And they flew together again on a business trip to Syria.
Oleg Pestov worked in the Chechen war, on the Maidan in Ukraine, in the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics. When the operation of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria began, he said that it was his duty to go there. But even when he was on the front line, Oleg always wore a jacket. He said that the operator must look decent. And his wife and two sons were always waiting for him at home.
Evgeny Tolstov almost always took a camera with him on any business trip, and then delighted his friends with photographs of animals and nature. On his account on one of the social networks you could always see photographs of his beloved Olenka. That was the only name he called his wife. Evgeniy was among those journalists who accompanied the very first humanitarian convoy to the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.
Mikhail Luzhetsky’s very first test in a hot spot was in Slavyansk. He came to this city in the midst of fighting. Then the journalists all hid together in the basements of the only surviving hotel. But as soon as the shelling stopped, they went up to record new casualties among the civilian population. Mikhail worried every time that his mother would worry about him. And as soon as he returned from a business trip, he again asked to go to Donetsk.
By a tragic coincidence, the only photograph of the crashed plane was taken by Evgeny Tolstov. Before departure of a flight from which no one will return.
"Star"
According to confirmed data, three journalists from the Zvezda TV channel were also on board the fallen Tu-154. Correspondent Pavel Obukhov, cameraman Alexander Suranov, and assistant cameraman Valery Rzhevsky. In connection with the tragedy that occurred with the Tu-154, the Zvezda TV channel also changed its broadcasting schedule. Entertainment television programs (including the new program “This Morning”) and advertising are canceled. During the period of mourning, the grid will be filled with military-patriotic films. News comes out every hour.
Meanwhile
The Internet is full of posts of grief. Colleagues do not believe what happened. For example, journalist and former war correspondent Alexander Sladkov wrote on his page on the social network Facebook: “Our guys died, journalists. Khalilov Valery Mikhalych, a real elite general, and an artist. And my friend Kiryukha Kolobrodov. Artist of the ensemble. I will remember".
Honored Artist of Russia Mikhail Porechenkov several days ago traveled together with Zvezda TV channel journalist Pavel Obukhov to one of the military units of Vorkuta as part of the project “Cinematroopers in the Arctic Zone.” This was the last story filmed by Pavel. Porechenkov said that he knows Pavel and other members of the Zvezda film crew well - they also flew to Syria together.
“We flew to Vorkuta on an Il-18. We arrived, there was an emergency landing, there was a strong crosswind. Everyone was happy that everything went well, we went to the unit. Everything was fine, everything was fine. The guys worked hard, cheerful guys, young. Everything was humane, everyone was on one team. All the guys who fly to Syria and in parts within the country are on the front line," Porechenkov said. He also said that what happened was a huge tragedy.
“I knew Volkov, the commander of the Tu-154 ship, well, because it was on this board that we flew to Syria. Anton Nikolaevich Gubankov was there, we all talked together... This is a disaster, I don’t know what scale,” the artist commented.