Location: Ukraine, Kyiv
Date: April 29, 2022

Vira Hyrych, a journalist working for Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) in Kyiv was found dead on April 29, 2022, one day after Russian forces attacked the residential building where she was living in the Ukrainian capital. As the Russian military forces continue attacking civilians, including the press, Vira is the third woman journalist out of six killed in Ukraine since the country’s invasion began.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is very saddened to hear the news while we mourn the loss of her life. CFWIJ condemns the aggressive actions of the Russian military in Ukraine, including against press members who bravely continue reporting from war zones. 

According to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Vira’s body was found early in the morning of April 29, 2022, amid the wreckage of the building, which was hit by a Russian missile the night before. 

RFE/RL reported that Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram on April 29 that one body had been retrieved from the rubble and another 10 people had been injured in the strikes. He gave no further details.

Vira was born in 1967 and has been working for RFE/RL since February 2018. Before joining RFE/R, she worked for a leading television channel in Ukraine.

The Russian airstrike in Kyiv that took Vira’s life, occurred while the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting the Ukrainian capital. 

Vira is the third woman journalist, out of six killed since the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces began in February 2022. Others include Oksana Baulina ( The Insider), Brent Renaud (TIME), Oleksandra Kuvshynova (Fox News), Pierre Zakrzewski (Fox News), Yevhenii Sakun (LIVE). 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns these brutal Russian attacks on civilians, particularly on press members who are risking their lives to cover developments in war zones across the country. We deeply grieve the loss of Vira and offer our deepest condolences to her loved ones.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.