Journalists At War. The Monitoring of Russian Occupiers’ Crimes Against Independent Media in 2025

PEN Ukraine is documenting the losses among the media workers in the Russian war against Ukraine. As of December 22, 2025, 121 Ukrainian and foreign media workers have been killed by Russian occupiers since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The Institute of Mass Information (IMI) is documenting the losses among the fellow journalists.

December

Journalist, TV director and military serviceman Kostiantyn Shtyfurak was killed in action. He enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in summer 2022 and served as a drone squad commander. His death was reported on December 16, 2025.

November

Ukrainian serviceman Anton Bondarenko was killed while carrying out a combat mission in the Kharkiv direction. He had been reported missing in action on September 15, 2025, and a DNA test later confirmed his death. Before being mobilized, Anton Bondarenko worked as a fixer for French television channels TF1 and LCI, serving as a guide, interpreter, and companion for filming crews documenting the war.

On November 2, documentary and artistic photographer, media producer, and a member of the Ukraїner team, Kostyantyn Huzenko, was killed in action at the front. He had enlisted in early 2024. Kostyantyn was a staff sergeant in the liaison department of the Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi Marine Brigade No. 35.

October

On October 25, while carrying out a combat mission at the front, Vadym Pidlypenskyi, a sales manager at Ligamedia and serviceman, was killed. In 2024, Vadym joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and took the call sign "Ramstein."

War reporter Alyona Hramova (Hubanova) of the Ukrainian international broadcasting channel Freedom TV was killed on 23 October 2025 in Kramatorsk, Donetsk oblast, in a Russian Lancet drone strike. At the time of the strike, she was in a car with her colleagues at a fuel station. Alyona Hramova was born in Yenakiyeve, Donetsk oblast. She was a war reporter for Ukraine’s international broadcaster since 2021. In June 2023, she was awarded the Princess Olha Order, 3rd rank.

Cameraman Yevhen Karmazin of the Ukrainian international broadcasting channel Freedom TV was killed on 23 October 2025 in Kramatorsk, Donetsk oblast, in a Russian Lancet drone strike. At the time of the strike, he was in a car with his colleagues at a fuel station. Yevhen Karmazin was born in Kramatorsk, Donetsk oblast, and had been working as a cameraman for Ukraine’s international broadcasting channels since 2022.

Oleksandr Urvantsev, cameraman with the Chernihiv-based Dytynets TV, was killed in combat in the Kharkiv oblast on October 7. He was a UAV operator. Urvantsev started training to become a UAV pilot in 2024. He completed "Engineering Course: People’s FPV". During the blockade of Chernihiv, Oleksandr Urvantsev filmed the impact of Russian shelling strikes on the city. The channel released the program "Evidence of the Russian Troops’ Crimes Against Chernihiv Civilians" thanks to his work.

A French photojournalist, Antoine Lallican, was killed as a result of a targeted strike by a Russian FPV drone on October 3. Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers member Hryhoriy Ivanchenko, who was working alongside him, was injured and is currently in stable condition. Both journalists were wearing protective gear, including body armor marked with the word "PRESS." This incident once again highlights Russia’s blatant disregard for International Humanitarian Law, underscoring the cruelty and treachery of its forces.

On 2 October 2025, Vasyl Khomko, ex-director of the TV show Heads or Tails, was killed in action. Vasyl voluntarily enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, in March 2022. At first, he served in the 128th mountain assault brigade, then transferred to the Special Operation Forces.

September

Former journalist of the Vinnytsia online media "Vezha" and Ukrainian Armed Forces officer Bohdan Buday was killed in the war. Bohdan died on September 26, 2025. He was mobilized in September 2023 and most recently served in the 144th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. He initially held the position of communications officer and later served as an officer in the Civil-Military Cooperation unit.

Military serviceman and ex-cameraman with the regional office of 5 TV channel in Chernivtsi and ACC media agency, Yaroslav Levytskyi was killed at Russian-Ukrainian war. He had been considered missing since November 2024. His death was officially reported on September 9, 2025.

On September 7, cameraman and military serviceman, Denys "Bes" Ponomarenko was killed in action in the Kharkiv region. He voluntarily enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2022. In his civilian life, Ponomarenko had worked for the Starlight Media company since 2009.

On September 3, journalist and military serviceman, Oleksandr Holiachenko was killed at the frontline. He enlisted in the army in 2025. During the years 2016-2020, Oleksandr worked in the news department at Kyiv FM radio. Since 2020, he had made interviews and analytical materials for Nash Kyiv media.

July

Bohdan Zaiats was killed on 30 January 2025 in the Donetsk sector, but the search for him and official confirmation of his death lasted several months. Since 2016, he had been working as a news anchor for the Novyi Chernihiv municipal TV channel. Then he was mobilised to the Defence Forces in September 2023.

June

Vladyslav Voloboiev was killed in a russian strike against the training ground of the AFU’s Ground Forces on June 1, 2025. By the moment of his death, he had spent only five weeks on a military training. Before the enlistment, Voloboiev had worked for Kryvyi Rih local newspaper Pulse for five years.

May

On May 6, military serviceman and ex-employee of the TRC Lux and 24 TV Channel Vasyl Dovbush was killed in action. He had been working for the TRC Lux during the years 2015-2019, and he did video editing and designing at the 24 TV Channel.

Journalist and motor racing commentator Viacheslav Kobrzhitskyi was killed in action in the Donetsk region. Viacheslav observed F1 and had worked as a commentator at the Setanta Sports TV Channel since 2020. His death was reported on May 1, 2025.

April

On April 13, 2025, officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and journalist from Zhytomyr, Bohdan Lysenko was killed in the Zaporizhzhia direction. For the last 8 years, he had been defending Ukraine within the ranks of the Armed Forces where he served as a reconnaissance marksman. Later, he became a deputy company commander. In his civilian life, he was a journalist of the national and regional media such as Fakty, KP inUkraine, Subota, Echoe.

Sports journalist and military serviceman Volodymyr Kotsur was killed at the frontline. Last time he was in touch on April 5: this was the day when he went on a combat mission in the Donetsk region. In the 1990s, Volodymyr covered sports events in Rivne. Later, he moved to Kyiv for the next ten years that he worked for the media Sport Express in Ukraine and published his materials in papers such as Ukrainian Football and Komanda (Team). In 2022, Volodymyr enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

March

Media editor and military serviceman Dmytro Biendikov was killed in the Ukrainian east on March 18. In his civilian life, Dmytro worked as a deskman at the TSN website, edited newsfeeds at the RBC Ukraine, Dengi, and Realist. He also wrote materials on economics for Novyny.LIVE. in 2024, he joined the 3^rd separate assault brigade.

Videographer and military serviceman Kyrylo Polikevych was killed on March 16 in the Pokrovsk district of the Donetsk region. In his civilian life, he worked as a videographer at Suspilne:Dnipro. Later, he served in the aerial defense and performed the duties of a grenadier in a motorized infantry battalion of the 72^nd separate mechanized brigade.

Cameraman, video editor and military serviceman, Artur Shybalov was killed on March 13 in the Kursk oblast. He used to work at the PTV UA TV Channel and the Poltavska Dumka newspaper. In 2024, he took up arms to defend Ukraine.

Producer and military serviceman Yurii Kirpik was killed in action on March 13 in the Kharkiv region. Before the full-scale war, he used to work at Starlight Media as a producer of many TV projects and series.

February

Journalist Tetyana Kulyk was killed on February 26 in the Russian attack against the Kyiv region. A UAV hit her house and took the life of her husband, surgeon Pavlo Ivanchov, too. Tetyana worked for the Ukrinform media. She was the author and host of the project The Nation of the Invincible, dedicated to the stories of outstanding Ukrainians who defended their country both at the frontline and in the rear.

Journalist and military serviceman Yaroslav Shapochka who had been considered missing since March 2023, was killed on March 20 or 21 near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. His death was reported on February 10, 2025. In different periods of his career, Yaroslav had worked as a correspondent for Fakty. He also was a documentarian. At the beginning of the full-scale war, he enlisted in the Territorial Defense Forces. Yaroslav Shapochka served within the ranks of the 207^th battalion of the 241^st Territorial Defense Forces brigade.

January

Cameraman and photographer Ruslan Hanushchak was killed in action on January 11 in the Kursk oblast. He was the author of documentaries such as Ukraine. Maidan.Reload, Brother for Brother, Two Days in Ilovaisk. In 2014, he defended Ukraine within the ranks of Azov and documented the war in Donbas. For the second time, Hanushchak enlisted in the 92^nd mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.