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I consider it my duty and, perhaps, the only purpose of my life right now — to give a voice to those who have been silenced forever, and to ensure that their stories are heard and remembered.
What drives me is the work I do. Kherson is my home, and I am privileged to share its story with the world.
Although I am used to these challenging conditions — witnessing losses that became the main focus of my reports and the total destruction of my city — it was only after the outbreak of the war that I fully grasped the significance of journalism and why it is crucial to continue. What drives me is the possibility to share my experiences and observations with others. I strive to tell the truth as faithfully as possible, through specific stories, with the hope that more people will learn about Kherson and its remarkable people.
The summary of my work so far includes numerous articles and four long reads — “Kherson Diaries” — published in The Guardian, which document the first month of my city’s occupation. This publication was shortlisted for the 2022 British Journalism Awards. While they may lack some literature brilliance, their significance lies in the fact that millions of people read them and gained insight into life in a city under occupation.
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Over the past three years of the full-scale war, I mostly write about Kherson and its people. I report to foreign media, documenting historical events with great responsibility — I verify facts, confirm assumptions, and whenever possible, visit the scene.
I continue to live and work in frontline Kherson, where power outages, public transport disruptions, and other everyday challenges are constant. A bomb hit my house, and I spent the whole winter without heating. My work here is marked by constant fear — I have been caught under shelling several times, I am afraid of bombs and drones. Having two sons in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, I am constantly under stress. My friends mostly fled abroad and it's hard for me to find support.
The theater director adapted Milorad Pavic’s Dictionary of the Khazars. On the night of February 23, I was writing a review, planning to finish it the next day. The next day war started. My dream is to finish the review and reflect on our experiences and how the words "love" and "death" have changed their meaning.
Journalist at Drone Media (broadcasting worldwide, based in Lithuania) and Signal to Resist (Estonia).
Based in liberated Kherson, Keleberda writes for numerous Ukrainian and foreign media, and collaborates with the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center and local media outlets. In 2022, she worked as a freelance journalist for The Guardian, and BBC.
Kseniya
Keleberda