Eternal memory of the brave and talented photographers who died documenting the Russian invasion, or defending their country with a machine gun in their hands instead of a camera.
According to the information Institute of Mass Information In the two years since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has killed 70 media workers in Ukraine. Of these, 10 — while performing journalistic tasks, 50 died as combatants and 13 — as a result of Russian shelling or torture. In total, in the 10 years since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, between 2014 and 2024, at least 81 Ukrainian and foreign media were killed, 13 of them while performing journalistic tasks.
As of August 2024, 23 Ukrainian photographers have died in 10 years of Russian-Ukrainian war. Someone performed an editorial task, and someone went to the front as a volunteer.
Civilian photographers who were killed by the Russians:
Serhiy Nikolaev— the photographer worked for the Kyiv daily newspaper “Segodnya”. He died on February 28, 2015 during a crossfire between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists in the village of Pisky in the Donetsk region.
Igor Gudenko — photographer and video blogger who disappeared during the shelling of Kharkov on February 26, 2022. His body was found on February 27. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he documented Russia's crimes in the suburbs of Kharkov, where the fighting took place.
Yevhen Sakun ---- photojournalist of LIVE edition and correspondent of EFE. He died on March 1, 2022 as a result of a rocket attack on the Kiev TV tower. At the time of the rocket attack, a man was passing by. People who were on the street nearby at that time had no chance to survive. Eugene's burned body was recognized only thanks to a presscard.
Viktor Dedov — a videographer and photographer who died in Mariupol on March 11, 2022 as a result of active Russian shelling.
Max Levin— photojournalist disappeared on March 13, 2022 in Kyiv region. He was found dead near the village of Huta-Mezhyhirska on April 1. The investigation confirmed that the photojournalist was tortured and executed. His photos were published by the most famous media in the world: Wall Street Journal, TIME, Breaking news Poland, EU AGENDA, World news, Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Most of his documentary projects are related to the war in Ukraine.
Photographers of soldiers who were killed by the Russians:
Victor Gurniak —photojournalist, fighter of the 24th battalion of territorial defense “Aydar”, plastun, Hero of Ukraine. He died on October 19, 2014, rescuing wounded fighters near Schastya, Luhansk region. Viktor Gurniak always carried the flag of Ukraine with him. At the time of his death, he kept a blue-yellow cord near him, which was sprinkled with his blood.
Alexey Chernyshov — serviceman who accompanied photographer Max Levin during the documentation of events in Kyiv region. They both disappeared on March 13, 2022. Later it turned out that the Russians had killed them. Before joining the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Chernyshov, like Levin, worked as a photojournalist. In 2014, during the Revolution of Dignity, they were both injured.
Yuriy Oliynyk — operator and photographer of 24 channel from Lviv. He was a soldier of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces named after King Daniel, died on March 23, 2022 in fighting near Popasna, Luhansk region. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he already had combat experience: he fought in eastern Ukraine in 2014-2015. Yuri's greatest hobbies were photography and hiking in the mountains.
Roman Solonynka— photographer from Zhytomyr, who lived and worked in Kyiv for many years. He is the author of logos of the Center for ATO Veterans and their families — “Near”. From the first days of the war, Roman joined the ranks of the Armed Forces. He fought as part of 72 OmbR named after him. Black Zaporozhts. His life was cut short on May 5, 2022 in a battle with the invaders near the village of Peremoha in Kharkiv region.
Konstantin Kitz — The photographer died on May 17, 2022 near the settlement of Yakovlivka, Donetsk region. Before the war, he worked as a videographer and photographer for the Lutsk TV channel “AVERS”. In 2014—2015, the photographer fought in the east, and when Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, he went to the front for the second time.
Roman Zhuk — photographer, eco-activist, videographer from Mukachevo, one of the founders of the volunteer project Chysto.de, a soldier of the Armed Forces died on May 26, 2022. The life of a junior sergeant of the 128th Separate Mountain-Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces was interrupted in fighting with the invaders near Orikhov in Zaporizhia.
Oleksandr Popovskyi— photographer from Zhmerinka, died February 19, 2023, defending the Motherland under Vuhledar. Since October 2021, he served in the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Yakov Gandzyuk, was the commander of the detachment. Before participating in the war, the man was engaged in commercial photography.
Mykola Anatskyi— photographer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, died on January 18, 2023 in a plane crash in Brovary, Kyiv region. Together with him were nine people on board, all of whom died. Mykola Anatsky is a native of Bakhmut, participated in ATO and liberated Kyiv region during a full-scale invasion.
Maksym Burda — 25-year-old photographer from Kovel, defended Ukraine as part of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, where he was piloting a drone. He died on January 26, 2023 near Bakhmut.
Vladimir Mukan —35-year-old photographer, journalist, PR man, junior lieutenant of the Armed Forces. He died on 29 April 2023 while performing a combat mission in Bakhmut. After his death in Cherkasy they presented an exhibition of photographs “Moments of War” — photos that Vladimir took as a soldier.
Denys Kryvyi ----naturalist photographer, author of numerous photo publications in the media, a soldier in the Special Operations Forces. He died in the fighting for Bakhmut on May 11, 2023. Denis Kryvyi was published in National Geographic. He was also awarded the FIAP International Prize ----This is the most prestigious competition for photographers in Europe.
Roman Chornomaz— photographer and journalist from Uman, sniper of the “Svoboda” battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine, died in battle in the Bakhmut direction on June 13, 2023. Before joining the National Guard, Roman Chornomaz worked as a photojournalist in Kyiv, in particular he documented the events of the Revolution of Dignity on the Maidan.
Igor Radchenko— photographer from Horishni Plavni, made still lifes and portraits. He died on July 17, 2023 during an artillery shelling near the village of Mala Tokmachka, Zaporizhia Oblast. The man had the rank of senior lieutenant, the soldier was 48 years old.
Maksym Shvartsman— videographer and photojournalist of Chernivtsi media, died on July 15, 2023 in the Bakhmut direction. He was a volunteer, served in the 92nd battalion of the 107th brigade of the Chernivtsi TRO.
Volodymyr Myronyuk— photographer and volunteer soldier from Los Angeles, died at the front on September 25, 2023. He was 59 years old. Mironyuk made his last risky photo report in the battle near Kurdyumivka, Bakhmut district in Donetsk region.
Maksym Kryvtsov— poet and photographer from Rivne. He died on January 7, 2024 in the Kupiansk direction. He went to war as a volunteer, was a fighter of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces. In 2023, he published the author's collection of poems “Poems from the dungeon”, which was recognized as one of the best Ukrainian books of 2023 by the Ukrainian PEN. After the death of Maxim, an exhibition of his photographs taken during the war was presented.
Igor Kalugin— photographer from Kremenchug. Russian military killed him in battle near the village of Tabaivka, Kupyansk district of Kharkiv region, on January 23, 2024. Before the war, he was fond of photography, in particular shooting weddings.
Arsen Fedosenko— military photographer died on June 10, 2024 due to severe injury as a result of Russian shelling of Kabul in Kharkiv region. Fedosenko was a soldier of the 518 battalion as part of the 1 separate brigade of special purpose named after Ivan Bogun. And later he transferred to the General Staff. Fedosenko and his colleagues worked on the project “Stories of those who chose to fight”. Since 2010 he has worked with artistic and cultural photo projects of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine and the Italian Embassy in Ukraine. Author of exhibitions. His works are kept in private collections of Ukraine, Norway, Germany.
Alexey Sapuga — famous photographer-animalist, ornithologist from Nikolaev died in fighting in Donetsk region on July 30, 2024.
Vadim Slipets — Kharkov photographer. A few months ago, he mobilized to the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Fought as part of the 80th Separate Assault Brigade. Vadim died on August 11, 2024 defending Ukraine.
Unfortunately, the Russian-Ukrainian war is still ongoing, and the list of murdered photographers can be updated...
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Vira Labych
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
Eternal memory of the brave and talented photographers who died documenting the Russian invasion, or defending their country with a machine gun in their hands instead of a camera.
According to the information Institute of Mass Information In the two years since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has killed 70 media workers in Ukraine. Of these, 10 — while performing journalistic tasks, 50 died as combatants and 13 — as a result of Russian shelling or torture. In total, in the 10 years since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, between 2014 and 2024, at least 81 Ukrainian and foreign media were killed, 13 of them while performing journalistic tasks.
As of August 2024, 23 Ukrainian photographers have died in 10 years of Russian-Ukrainian war. Someone performed an editorial task, and someone went to the front as a volunteer.
Civilian photographers who were killed by the Russians:
Serhiy Nikolaev— the photographer worked for the Kyiv daily newspaper “Segodnya”. He died on February 28, 2015 during a crossfire between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists in the village of Pisky in the Donetsk region.
Igor Gudenko — photographer and video blogger who disappeared during the shelling of Kharkov on February 26, 2022. His body was found on February 27. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he documented Russia's crimes in the suburbs of Kharkov, where the fighting took place.
Yevhen Sakun ---- photojournalist of LIVE edition and correspondent of EFE. He died on March 1, 2022 as a result of a rocket attack on the Kiev TV tower. At the time of the rocket attack, a man was passing by. People who were on the street nearby at that time had no chance to survive. Eugene's burned body was recognized only thanks to a presscard.
Viktor Dedov — a videographer and photographer who died in Mariupol on March 11, 2022 as a result of active Russian shelling.
Max Levin— photojournalist disappeared on March 13, 2022 in Kyiv region. He was found dead near the village of Huta-Mezhyhirska on April 1. The investigation confirmed that the photojournalist was tortured and executed. His photos were published by the most famous media in the world: Wall Street Journal, TIME, Breaking news Poland, EU AGENDA, World news, Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Most of his documentary projects are related to the war in Ukraine.
Photographers of soldiers who were killed by the Russians:
Victor Gurniak —photojournalist, fighter of the 24th battalion of territorial defense “Aydar”, plastun, Hero of Ukraine. He died on October 19, 2014, rescuing wounded fighters near Schastya, Luhansk region. Viktor Gurniak always carried the flag of Ukraine with him. At the time of his death, he kept a blue-yellow cord near him, which was sprinkled with his blood.
Alexey Chernyshov — serviceman who accompanied photographer Max Levin during the documentation of events in Kyiv region. They both disappeared on March 13, 2022. Later it turned out that the Russians had killed them. Before joining the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Chernyshov, like Levin, worked as a photojournalist. In 2014, during the Revolution of Dignity, they were both injured.
Yuriy Oliynyk — operator and photographer of 24 channel from Lviv. He was a soldier of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces named after King Daniel, died on March 23, 2022 in fighting near Popasna, Luhansk region. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he already had combat experience: he fought in eastern Ukraine in 2014-2015. Yuri's greatest hobbies were photography and hiking in the mountains.
Roman Solonynka— photographer from Zhytomyr, who lived and worked in Kyiv for many years. He is the author of logos of the Center for ATO Veterans and their families — “Near”. From the first days of the war, Roman joined the ranks of the Armed Forces. He fought as part of 72 OmbR named after him. Black Zaporozhts. His life was cut short on May 5, 2022 in a battle with the invaders near the village of Peremoha in Kharkiv region.
Konstantin Kitz — The photographer died on May 17, 2022 near the settlement of Yakovlivka, Donetsk region. Before the war, he worked as a videographer and photographer for the Lutsk TV channel “AVERS”. In 2014—2015, the photographer fought in the east, and when Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, he went to the front for the second time.
Roman Zhuk — photographer, eco-activist, videographer from Mukachevo, one of the founders of the volunteer project Chysto.de, a soldier of the Armed Forces died on May 26, 2022. The life of a junior sergeant of the 128th Separate Mountain-Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces was interrupted in fighting with the invaders near Orikhov in Zaporizhia.
Oleksandr Popovskyi— photographer from Zhmerinka, died February 19, 2023, defending the Motherland under Vuhledar. Since October 2021, he served in the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Yakov Gandzyuk, was the commander of the detachment. Before participating in the war, the man was engaged in commercial photography.
Mykola Anatskyi— photographer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, died on January 18, 2023 in a plane crash in Brovary, Kyiv region. Together with him were nine people on board, all of whom died. Mykola Anatsky is a native of Bakhmut, participated in ATO and liberated Kyiv region during a full-scale invasion.
Maksym Burda — 25-year-old photographer from Kovel, defended Ukraine as part of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, where he was piloting a drone. He died on January 26, 2023 near Bakhmut.
Vladimir Mukan —35-year-old photographer, journalist, PR man, junior lieutenant of the Armed Forces. He died on 29 April 2023 while performing a combat mission in Bakhmut. After his death in Cherkasy they presented an exhibition of photographs “Moments of War” — photos that Vladimir took as a soldier.
Denys Kryvyi ----naturalist photographer, author of numerous photo publications in the media, a soldier in the Special Operations Forces. He died in the fighting for Bakhmut on May 11, 2023. Denis Kryvyi was published in National Geographic. He was also awarded the FIAP International Prize ----This is the most prestigious competition for photographers in Europe.
Roman Chornomaz— photographer and journalist from Uman, sniper of the “Svoboda” battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine, died in battle in the Bakhmut direction on June 13, 2023. Before joining the National Guard, Roman Chornomaz worked as a photojournalist in Kyiv, in particular he documented the events of the Revolution of Dignity on the Maidan.
Igor Radchenko— photographer from Horishni Plavni, made still lifes and portraits. He died on July 17, 2023 during an artillery shelling near the village of Mala Tokmachka, Zaporizhia Oblast. The man had the rank of senior lieutenant, the soldier was 48 years old.
Maksym Shvartsman— videographer and photojournalist of Chernivtsi media, died on July 15, 2023 in the Bakhmut direction. He was a volunteer, served in the 92nd battalion of the 107th brigade of the Chernivtsi TRO.
Volodymyr Myronyuk— photographer and volunteer soldier from Los Angeles, died at the front on September 25, 2023. He was 59 years old. Mironyuk made his last risky photo report in the battle near Kurdyumivka, Bakhmut district in Donetsk region.
Maksym Kryvtsov— poet and photographer from Rivne. He died on January 7, 2024 in the Kupiansk direction. He went to war as a volunteer, was a fighter of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces. In 2023, he published the author's collection of poems “Poems from the dungeon”, which was recognized as one of the best Ukrainian books of 2023 by the Ukrainian PEN. After the death of Maxim, an exhibition of his photographs taken during the war was presented.
Igor Kalugin— photographer from Kremenchug. Russian military killed him in battle near the village of Tabaivka, Kupyansk district of Kharkiv region, on January 23, 2024. Before the war, he was fond of photography, in particular shooting weddings.
Arsen Fedosenko— military photographer died on June 10, 2024 due to severe injury as a result of Russian shelling of Kabul in Kharkiv region. Fedosenko was a soldier of the 518 battalion as part of the 1 separate brigade of special purpose named after Ivan Bogun. And later he transferred to the General Staff. Fedosenko and his colleagues worked on the project “Stories of those who chose to fight”. Since 2010 he has worked with artistic and cultural photo projects of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine and the Italian Embassy in Ukraine. Author of exhibitions. His works are kept in private collections of Ukraine, Norway, Germany.
Alexey Sapuga — famous photographer-animalist, ornithologist from Nikolaev died in fighting in Donetsk region on July 30, 2024.
Vadim Slipets — Kharkov photographer. A few months ago, he mobilized to the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Fought as part of the 80th Separate Assault Brigade. Vadim died on August 11, 2024 defending Ukraine.
Unfortunately, the Russian-Ukrainian war is still ongoing, and the list of murdered photographers can be updated...
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Vira Labych
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
UAPP is an independent association of professional Ukrainian photographers, designed to protect their interests, support, develop and promote Ukrainian photography as an important element of national culture.
UAPP's activities span educational, social, research and cultural initiatives, as well as book publishing.
UAPP represents Ukrainian professional photography in the international photographic community and is an official member of the Federation of European Photographers (FEP) — an international organization representing more than 50,000 professional photographers in Europe and other countries around the world.
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