The international delegation, headed by Ana Lucía Bueno, ICRC Public Health Coordinator, and Sujit Panda, Head of the Physical Rehabilitation…
Today in Ukraine is the Day of Military Journalists — those who, risking their lives, have been carrying out missions since the first days of the Russian-Ukrain
The date was chosen in memory of military correspondent Dmytro Labutkin, who died on this day during hostilities in eastern Ukraine in 2015.
The Day of Military Journalists is not a holiday, but a day to remind the public of the difficult, painstaking, and very important work that is a significant part of the country’s defense. After all, it is through the eyes of military media workers that not only Ukraine but the entire world sees all the crimes of the occupiers as well as the courage, sacrifice, and heroism of Ukrainian soldiers.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, despite constant danger, representatives of military media structures prepare hundreds of messages, video stories, and frontline reports every day.
ArmiyaInform spoke with correspondents of military media about why the Day of Military Journalists is important.
Captain Oleksandr Marchenko, ArmiyaInform:
“Above all, this day is to honor the memory of those journalists who, fulfilling their duty, gave the most important thing — their lives. This date was chosen for a reason. On 16 February 2015, near Debaltseve, military journalist of the ‘Bryz’ TV and radio studio, Dmytro Labutkin, was killed. He showed the whole world what was happening — namely, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, not a ‘civil war’ as enemy propaganda described it. And he was the first, but far from the last victim of this aggression.
Since 2014, information has also become a weapon in this war. While Shaheds and missiles fly into peaceful cities, enemy information-psychological operations fly into the Ukrainian information space. Therefore, it is important to counter this by showing the real situation and debunking propaganda myths. This is important both for Ukrainian society and for Western audiences so that the Russian ‘version’ of this war does not prevail there”.
Lieutenant Volodymyr Kravchuk, Army TV:
“I knew about Dmytro Labutkin… And on this day we must remember him and those military journalists who gave their lives in the line of duty, and draw attention to this work — its danger, uniqueness, and high demand in modern warfare.
I am now a special correspondent for Army TV, so this is partly my day as well”.
Major Danylo Ishchenko, Center for Tactical Media of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine:
“I am a press officer. A war correspondent. A frontline cameraman and reporter. So I probably have a connection to this day. Although I have since gained an additional and somewhat different military specialty, I remember where I began.
This day is important to me because it is a tribute to fallen war correspondents. A chance to say a symbolic ‘thank you’ to the colleagues who gave the most precious thing for freedom. For me it is not a celebration. I will never forget how and why this date was singled out in the calendar… As long as I live, I will see the faces of people who lived sincerely, did their work, and consciously made their choice. Dmytro Labutkin, Yurii Leliavskyi, Oleksii Chubashev and countless other war correspondents and press officers…
I knew Dima. I was one of the last press officers he spoke with before his death. This was at the ‘Khrest’ position near Debaltseve…”
Military journalists continue to work, risking their lives, so that the world knows the truth about the war in Ukraine.
