“When the War Started, We Found Ourselves Almost Naked.” Ukrainian Journalist Katerina Sergatskova

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“When the war started, most of the Ukrainian journalists didn't have the protection and they didn't even imagine how to react to the military events – how would you know what is coming, how to know the differences in sounds of explosions. This all matters for your reporting,” says Katerina Sergatskova, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Zaborona, a non-profit media organization in Ukraine.

(Listen to the interview by pressing the PLAY button above)

Katerina has been covering the war in Ukraine since 2014. At that time, she was reporting not only from the Ukrainian side but also from Russian-occupied territories in the Donbas region. In this episode of NARA podcast, we talk about Ukrainian journalism in wartime and how to do your work when you are a target.

Zaborona office in Kyiv before the Russia's invasion.
Zaborona office in Kyiv before the Russia's invasion.
Katerina Sergatskova, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Zaborona.
Katerina Sergatskova, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Zaborona.

Zaborona is a long-form media platform covering social issues in Ukraine and making investigations. “You always have to think about what we have to do when such a big war happens. We cannot be so long-form anymore. We have to rebuild the system and change our minds the way we think, write, record and collect information.”

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Katerina's colleagues – Roman Stepanovych, co-founder and CEO of Zaborona and video producer, and Mykola Dondyuk, Zaborona videographer – on assignment in Kyiv Oblast, April 2022.
Katerina's colleagues – Roman Stepanovych, co-founder and CEO of Zaborona and video producer, and Mykola Dondyuk, Zaborona videographer – on assignment in Kyiv Oblast, April 2022.

Zaborona team runs a fundraising campaign 2402 Fund for Ukrainian journalists. They have already equipped more than a hundred journalists with bulletproof vests and helmets.

Zaborona HQ in Lviv. 2402 Fund brought first aid kits to journalists from different regions in Ukraine.
Zaborona HQ in Lviv. 2402 Fund brought first aid kits to journalists from different regions in Ukraine.
Roman Stepanovych, co-founder and CEO of Zaborona, is testing new helmets for journalists.
Roman Stepanovych, co-founder and CEO of Zaborona, is testing new helmets for journalists.

They also organize first medical aid training for journalists.

Roman Stepanovych explains the basics of the first medical aid to media workers in Kyiv, April 2022.
Roman Stepanovych explains the basics of the first medical aid to media workers in Kyiv, April 2022.

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