Two former Fox News security advisers claim the network and reporter Benjamin Hall ignored warnings to avoid a dangerous area outside Kyiv in March 2022, leading to a strike that killed a producer, a videographer and two Ukrainian soldiers. The parents of Oleksha "Sasha" Kuvshynova have filed a multimillion-dollar suit alleging Fox acted recklessly and attempted to shift blame. Shane Thomson joined the lawsuit, and Hall — who survived with severe injuries and later wrote a memoir — is also named in the complaint. Fox News says it will defend against the claims and stresses its commitment to journalist safety.
Security Advisers Accuse Fox News and Reporter Benjamin Hall of Ignoring Warnings Before Deadly 2022 Ukraine Strike
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Two former high-risk security advisers who worked with Fox News allege that the network and reporter Benjamin Hall repeatedly ignored explicit warnings to avoid a known combat zone outside Kyiv in March 2022 — a decision they say led to a Russian strike that killed four people and severely injured Hall.
The attack killed Fox News producer Oleksha "Sasha" Kuvshynova, photojournalist Pierre Zakrzewski and two Ukrainian soldiers. Hall survived but suffered catastrophic injuries, losing his right leg below the knee, his left foot and an eye.
Advisers Say Warnings Were Ignored
According to Aaron King and Shane Thomson, the two security advisers, they cautioned Hall and the reporting team about a specific, dangerous area outside Kyiv in the weeks after Russia's invasion. The advisers told reporters the team was warned about the exact time and place to avoid; they claim those warnings were not heeded.
"If you took Benji out of the equation, this never would have happened," Aaron King told National Public Radio, according to published reports.
Lawsuit Alleges Recklessness and a Cover-Up
The parents of Kuvshynova have filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit alleging Fox News engaged in "reckless and negligent conduct" that placed their 24-year-old daughter in mortal danger. Shane Thomson has joined the suit, accusing the network of scapegoating him for the tragedy.
Lawyer Stephen Humphreys, representing the Kuvshynovs and Thomson, told NPR the vehicle was driven into "a very avoidable danger" despite specific warnings about time and location.
The complaint accuses Fox News of pressuring the reporting team to enter a hazardous area despite cautions from locals and security consultants and alleges the network later attempted to conceal its role through "material misrepresentations and omissions" to shift blame onto security staff.
Firefighters extinguish a fire inside a residential building that was hit by a missile on Feb. 25, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. / Pierre Crom/Getty
Fox News Response and Benjamin Hall's Memoir
A Fox News spokesperson said the network "will respectfully defend against the inaccurate claims within this lawsuit" and reiterated that journalist safety is a priority. That statement matches comments previously provided to other outlets.
The lawsuit also names Benjamin Hall as a defendant, alleging he "wrote or adopted a false account of the death" of Kuvshynova in his memoir, Saved: A War Reporter's Mission to Make It Home. The complaint notes conflicting characterizations of Hall's role, saying he "may... be more properly aligned in this litigation as a party-plaintiff victim of Fox Defendants' wrongful conduct."
Ongoing Litigation and Questions
The dispute raises complex questions about editorial decision-making, on-the-ground security assessments and who bears responsibility when journalists enter active combat zones. The case is likely to probe internal communications, security recommendations and the chain of command that led to the mission.
As litigation proceeds, both the bereaved family and former security staff press for accountability, while Fox News has signaled it will vigorously defend itself against the allegations.
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