(NewsNation) — Since the start of the 20-day Russia-Ukraine invasion, several journalists have been injured while covering the war. On Sunday, acclaimed journalist Brent Renaud died after Russian forces opened fire on his vehicle as he was reporting on refugees.

Most recently, Fox News reporter Benjamin Hall was injured while reporting and was hospitalized.

Independent journalists covering war are just as important as the content they’re reporting on, said NewsNation’s “On Balance” host Leland Vittert during an appearance on “Morning in America.”

“At no time in history are independent journalists more needed and more important than in a time of war, especially at a time when when truth becomes so malleable and when the Russians view information as an extension of war,” he said.

He says journalists on the ground in Ukraine are being targeted, unlike previous wartime conflicts.

“When you used to cover conflict you were seen as an independent observer and both sides granted you that freedom and that privilege that you weren’t going to be targeted, almost as if you were a member of the Red Cross,” Vittert said.

Vittert believes Russian troops are targeting journalists because they want to censor information.

“They don’t want the world to see what’s happening and what they are doing. Therefore, they will kill the people who are doing it, if nothing else, it’s to serve as a warning to others,” he said.

He says their work on the ground is an example of bravery and dedication. Vittert said journalists like Renaud and Hall understand the impact of what they’re doing despite the risks and “take those risks willingly to fulfill that mission.”