The date was chosen in memory of military correspondent Dmytro Labutkin, who died on this day during hostilities in eastern…
A cheerful giant least of all seemed made for war, his friends say.
The death of journalist, director, and serviceman Kostiantyn Shtyfurak was reported by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine and Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University, where he studied.
“The staff of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University announces with deep sorrow the death of Kostiantyn Shtyfurak — a graduate of the Faculty of History, the son of Associate Professor of the Department of Psychology and Social Work Volodymyr Shtyfurak… In civilian life, Kostiantyn was a journalist and director. From the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he consciously stood up to defend his homeland and remained in the ranks until the last, demonstrating courage, resilience, responsibility, and loyalty to Ukraine”, — the statement says.
Kostiantyn joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2022. He served as a UAV squad commander in the “Pekelni Shershni” (Hell Hornets) unit of the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Hetman Ivan Mazepa (callsign “Director”), conscientiously and responsibly carrying out combat missions along the line of contact.
In civilian life, Kostiantyn was a journalist and director. From the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, he consciously defended his homeland and remained in service until the end, demonstrating courage, resilience, responsibility, and loyalty to Ukraine.
Kostiantyn’s friend, Director of the A-95 Consulting Group Serhii Kuiun, recalled him as someone “not made for war” and someone with whom life was very easy.
“Among everyone I know who is fighting, Kostia — the cheerful giant — was the least made for war. Reliable and responsible, he agreed to any proposal. In the years leading up to 2022, he worked as a cameraman, including being one of the few who filmed from quadcopters when it wasn’t yet mainstream. I remember how he readily agreed, without hesitation, to film an illegal mini-refinery in Kharkiv region. ‘I’m going there anyway, I’ll drop by!’ It was always very easy with him…” — Kuiun wrote.
He informed the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine that Kostiantyn died of his wounds in hospital on December 14, 2025.
From February 2014 until the start of the full-scale war, Kostiantyn was a co-founder and chief director of the full-cycle production company Bobina.
“Big, strong, talented, calm, kind, professional, effective. This is a huge loss for the family, everyone who knew him, for all of Ukraine and the world… Kostia is one of the heroes of a book about Ukrainian entrepreneurs. In 2019, I conducted a very long interview with him, and he said then: ‘In 15 years, I will only make films… I’m like a bulldozer… I don’t do everything very fast, I do everything gradually, but it’s hard to push me off my path. On the contrary, I will push everything unnecessary out of my way. And it is precisely this unhurried pace that allows you to take fewer risks and achieve more — not as quickly as you’d like, but to achieve success’. In the summer of 2022, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, saying he could not do otherwise”, — wrote Kostiantyn’s friend Lidiia Pashchuk.
Kyiv Post special correspondent Serhii Kostezh also shared that he had worked with Kostiantyn since 2013: “It was never boring with Kostian. Even when, as a boss, I scolded him for mistakes, he did it with jokes. Big and kind — that was him”.
Actress, director, and lecturer Nataliia Dniprenko said that Kostiantyn had been her student and came to study directing already having a journalism degree: “Honest, decent, talented. We had plans for joint projects in peacetime… He lived with dignity and left with dignity… Thank you, Kostia, for being with us… Thanks to his parents for raising such a son…”
His television colleague Tetiana Drahomyretska remembers Kostiantyn as a very bright and always smiling person: “He was always so radiant and cheerful, that smile of his! Eternal memory and glory to the Hero of Ukraine!”
Kostiantyn Shtyfurak was awarded the medal “For Military Service to Ukraine”. He also helped his brothers-in-arms with volunteer fundraising efforts and cared for animals.
Bright memory and eternal glory to the warrior!
Photo from social media
Prepared by the Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform in cooperation with the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory and the online media outlet of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, ArmyInform.
