The strength to continue also comes from understanding that regional journalism is not just about news, but about the connections between people. We create memory, preserving the truth that future generations won’t be able to distort. For me, the belief in the power of words as a tool for change and support is the driving force behind everything I do.
Journalist, Editor-in-Chief of the independent regional media Poltavska Khvylia. War correspondent. Teaches the basics of war journalism and Manipulation Techniques in the Media at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University.
The only
Material
It is a responsibility,
not heroism.
Since the full-scale invasion, my professional focus has been on documenting the changes in communities' lives during the war, as well as the experiences of civilians and soldiers in frontline regions and combat zones. I have also focused on the stories of those who have become integral to the broader resistance. A key area of my work involves supporting victims and the families of military personnel.
I started journalism almost by accident — a friend, an editor, asked me to do an interview for a newspaper. But I quickly realized that journalism is an opportunity to see and understand the impact of your work, to track meaningful changes in society and the community, and that my work helps defend public interests in general and people’s rights in particular. Since university, I’ve been fascinated by the power of information and the media’s role in democratic development. My core motivation has always been to be useful when truth matters.
The most challenging project I worked on was a documentary about a fallen soldier from Poltava. We sifted through over 40 hours of footage from his personal phone, capturing every battle he recorded until his final moments. The emotional toll of engaging with traumatic stories, especially while interviewing the families of the fallen, is a personal struggle. There are also broader challenges, such as the constant lack of resources in regional media. Yet, what keeps me going is my internal commitment: my job is to document, organize, and explain events.
It was crucial to restore our region’s
identity and correct historical
distortions imposed by Tsarist Russia,
the Soviet Union, and later the Russian
Federation. Much of our history,
culture, and language was stolen,
and someone must reclaim it.
The project was postponed due
to the focus on war-related topics.
Vitalii
Ulybin