Two Daily Beast journalists ‘extremely lucky’ to still be alive after being shot in Ukraine

Two Danish correspondents were able to drive their badly damaged car to a hospital after being fired on by unknown assailants

Journalist Emil Filtenborg was shot several times in the legs on Saturday while covering the Ukraine war (Twitter/Emil Filtenborg)

Two Daily Beast journalists were undergoing surgery on Sunday after being shot while covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Danish nationals Stefan Wiechert, 31, and Emil Filtenborg, 30, came under attack as they were driving near the town of Okhtyrka in eastern Ukraine on Saturday.

The Daily Beast reported that Mr Wiechert suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder, while Mr Filtenborg was hit multiple times in the legs by unknown gunmen.

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The experienced war correspondents were able to drive their badly damaged car to get out of range of the gunfire, and made it to a nearby hospital.

Emil Filtenborg posted a photo from hospital of the gunshot wounds to his legs (Emil Filtenborg/Instagram)

Both men are in a stable condition in hospital.

“We have been extremely lucky,” Mr Wiechert told the Beast.

Mr Filtenborg posted a link to the Elton John song I’m Still Standing on Twitter along with the words: “This is kind of a lie since I’m shot in both legs, but you get the joke.”

(thiis is kind of a lie since i'm shot in both legs, but you gett the joke) https://t.co/pqh0mocK6P

— Emil Filtenborg (@efmikkelsen) February 27, 2022

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said his thoughts were with both the men and their families.

“This is an ugly reminder of the dangers journalists in Ukraine face every day to document the horrors of the war,” he wrote on Twitter.