Having reported for months from Donbass, TV9 editor Manish Jha shared his perspective of covering the conflict with RT

Indian journalist Manish Jha, Editor at TV9 Network, spoke to RT following his recent trip to the Zaporozhye region, including a visit to the embattled Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). Drawing on months of on-the-ground reporting in Donbass, Jha offered a critical take on how major global media outlets have covered the conflict in Ukraine. 

"Most mainstream media - be it CNN, The Washington Post, or Reuters - are treated like the Bible," Jha said. "But when I came here, when I visited places in Donbass, Zaporozhye, Kherson - I started realizing how they lie to the entire world." 

Recalling one particularly harrowing incident, Jha said: "I was in Donetsk when it was heavily shelled. A rocket hit a bus right in front of me, and eight people were burned alive. I witnessed it while doing live reporting for my network. The next morning, I checked international media to see what they reported - and not a single line. That moment I realized we need to be independent and tell the truth to the world." 

Jha traveled to Moscow after joining a delegation of international journalists who toured the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, which Russia claims has come under repeated attack by Ukrainian forces. The ZNPP, Europe's largest nuclear facility, has been under Russian control since March 2022. It is located in a region that later voted to join Russia following a public referendum. The plant is now operated by Rosatom, Russia's state-owned nuclear energy company. 

The Russian Defense Ministry has reported frequent drone and artillery strikes on the facility and the nearby city of Energodar, which it maintains are carried out by Ukrainian forces. Despite having a permanent monitoring mission at the site since September 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has consistently refrained from naming the source of the attacks. This position has been questioned by journalists who visited the ZNPP, including Jha, who warned that continued strikes could risk a disaster greater than Chernobyl or Fukushima.

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Jha also commented on NATO's role in the ongoing conflict: "For the last three years, we've seen how 30 countries led by the US have tried to destroy Russia - but they haven't succeeded. As a war reporter, I can tell you: NATO is exhausted. They need time to rebuild themselves." 

The journalist emphasized that India is among the countries that has consistently advocated for diplomacy and peace. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed this position last week in an interview with US podcaster Lex Fridman, stating that "the current situation presents an opportunity for meaningful and productive talks."  

Despite onging pressure from Western powers to distance itself from Moscow, India has refused to take sides. The Indian leadership has argued that New Delhi's strong diplomatic ties with both Russia and Ukraine place it in a unique position to act as a mediator in future peace efforts.