Ukrainain soldier mechanic-driver on a trophy
Russian tank
not far from just liberated Lyman town in Khreson region
Photo credit:
Andrii Dubchak
Photo credit:
Andrii Dubchak
The belief that our efforts will not be in vain gives me the strength to continue working.
My work helps
amplify
the voices
of those, both in Ukraine
and abroad,
who cannot make
themselves
visible due to the fear
of being killed
by
the Russian army.
Despite the challenges, I chose to continue my work, documenting the events in both occupied and liberated territories and exposing the war crimes committed by the Russian army. Even after leaving the occupied area, I continued to receive threats from Russian officials and their supporters. Nevertheless, I chose to fight back against these threats through my public visibility and unwavering commitment to journalism.
One of the most pivotal pieces I worked on was about the Russian war criminal Sergey Dubinsky, who was later sentenced in absentia by The Hague for his role in the downing of flight MH17 over Ukrainian Donbas.
For over three years, my home and hometown have been under occupation, with ongoing repression against civilians. Russians continue to destroy cities and villages, and I am forced to constantly adapt to new realities. Sometimes this is just overwhelming.
1
Journalist-investigator of Russian war crimes. Originally from Kakhovka (currently under occupation).
As a journalist at the Crimean Center for Investigative Journalism and The Reckoning Project, Baturyn collects testimonies of Russian war crimes in Ukraine. He worked under occupation and was held in Russian captivity.
1
Maidan in Ukraine in 2004, known as the Orange Revolution, was a series of protests and political movements against electoral fraud, demanding democratic reforms and the recognition of a fair presidential election result.
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These fears were amplified after I was abducted by Russian forces and held illegally for nearly
nine days, subjected
to torture due
to my independent journalistic work and pro-Ukrainian stance.
I embarked on my journalistic career over 25 years ago with the aim to transform regional journalism, making it both more compelling and relevant. Over time, I recognised that honest and independent regional journalism has the power to drive meaningful change within communities. Following Ukraine's first Maidan in 2004, I developed an interest in the conflicts in countries that regained their independence after the dissolution of the Soviet-Russian empire. This led me to visit countries affected by aggression and report on the events unfolding there.
Since March 2014, the topic of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine has been central to my work. I covered the illegal annexation of Crimea, examined its impact on the neighbouring Kherson region, and led anti-corruption investigations. Many of the key figures from my investigations later became prominent supporters of the ‘Rus-sian world’ and held positions in the Russian occupation administration in Kherson fol-lowing the 2022 invasion.
I was in my hometown, Kakhovka, when the Russians occupied it. At that moment, I feared it marked the end of my journalistic career, the end of journalism in the Kherson region, and possibly my life.
Oleg
Baturyn
In the past, when I focused on civil topics, I frequently attended film festivals, wrote reviews, and wanted to create content about Ukrainian cinema. However, in the current con-text of war, this no longer holds the same significance for me. That’s why
I have dedicated my work to military journalism.