Ukraine: Yulia Boyko Injured in Russian Drone Attack
Two journalists injured in attack on residential areas in Kharkiv
Location: Ukraine, KharkivDate: April 4, 2024
The recent attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, where journalist Yulia Boyko was seriously injured as a result of a Russian drone strike, highlights a grave and unacceptable trend. In 2024, Women Press Freedom documented Russian military attacks on four women journalists in Ukraine. Journalists on the frontlines of the conflict are being routinely targeted. We vehemently denounce the attack against Yulia Boyko, demand an immediate end to these assaults, and urge authorities to investigate the drone attack. Deliberately targeting journalists covering conflict is a war crime.
On April 4, 2024, in the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Russian Shaded drones struck multiple times, causing damage and casualties. Yulia Boyko, a journalist for Novosti.Live and Belstat channel, was injured.
A drone hit near Boyko’s home, damaging windows, doors, and the roof. Despite this, she ventured out to report on the attack. Shortly after, an air-raid alarm went off, forcing her to seek shelter. With little time to hide, she fell to the ground as the drone approached. The State Emergency Service rescued her and journalist "Nakipilo" Viktor Pichugin.
Boyko suffered aqua barotrauma and a mild concussion, along with psychological distress from the ordeal. Aquabarotrauma refers to damage or injury caused to the body due to changes in pressure; this can lead to various symptoms such as ear pain, hearing loss, dizziness, and in severe cases, damage to internal organs. Boyko’s injury likely resulted from the sudden changes in air pressure caused by the explosion during the drone attack.
In the morning, Boyko saw that there were 5-7 meters between her and the epicenter of the explosion. The journalist remains traumatized by the sounds of the attack.
As a result of the Russian drone strikes on Kharkiv, three rescuers and a woman were killed, 12 people were injured, and apartment buildings and private houses were damaged.
This incident adds to a concerning pattern of attacks on the press in Kharkiv. Previous Russian airstrikes in January 2024 injured 3 women journalists, Özge Elif Kizil, Violetta-Anastasia Pedorych, and Anna Myasnikova.
Women Press Freedom has documented the tragic deaths of eight women journalists since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces. These journalists, including Oksana Baulina, Oksana Haidar, Oleksandra Kuvshynova, Vira Hyrych, Lilia Humianova, Natalia Kharakoz, Valeriya Hlodan, and Victoria Amelina, were killed by Russian forces.
In response to Russia's ongoing targeting of the press in Ukraine, Women Press Freedom, alongside 20 other press freedom organizations, has issued a joint statement calling for international organizations to take action against Russia and hold it accountable for the war crimes committed against journalists.
Women Press Freedom strongly denounces the Russian drone attack on citizens in Kharkiv, which resulted in the injury of Yulia Boyko. The repeated assaults on media personnel, including the tragic loss of lives, as documented by Women Press Freedom, demonstrate a disturbing pattern of aggression against the press by Russian forces. In the face of these atrocities, the international community must act swiftly and decisively, holding Russia accountable for its flagrant violations of international law and ensuring the protection of journalists on the frontlines.
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