THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
In cities where explosions sound every day and the streets are gradually emptying, local newspapers have become more than just a source of information – they have become a symbol of resistance. This voice refuses to be silenced, despite everything. Thanks to the support of the human rights organization, People in Need, the Zoria newspaper from Lyman and Holos Huliaipillia from Huliaipole continue to be published even when it seems impossible.
“A newspaper in our conditions is actually a ray of sunshine in a dark kingdom,” says Oleksandr Pasichnyk, the editor-in-chief of Lyman-based Zoria. “Apart from the newspaper, no other information reaches Lyman.”
Today, Lyman is a city under constant shelling, where russian drones hunt for people – both military and civilians. Recently, a well-known farmer, Mykola Ralitnyi, was killed when a drone hit his car while he was driving to a sunflower field. The head doctor, who coordinated the work of the medical stations, was injured. But the newspaper is being published. This is the fifteenth issue this year.
After the de-occupation of the city in October 2022, Zoria resumed work literally a week later. Initially, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) provided constant support.
“A huge thanks to Sergiy Tomilenko, the President of the NUJU, then the Japanese helped, then other benefactors,” says Oleksandr Pasichnyk.
The newspaper’s circulation is 2,200 copies. For a district newspaper in wartime, this is a serious indicator. The publication is distributed not only in Lyman, but also in eight regions of Ukraine, where displaced people from the city ended up. They call from Finland, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, and even Ireland. People want to know what is happening at home.
Newspaper delivery in the frontline zone is a separate story of courage. There is currently no post office in Lyman that would deliver the press. Therefore, Oleksandr Pasichnyk has established his own system: he sends a hundred copies to the hospital, distributes the newspapers in shops, and transfers them to six libraries that are still operational despite the war. The Red Cross distributes up to 500 copies and delivers them to settlements during humanitarian missions. And, of course, the city authorities are also involved, particularly the head of the Lyman Town Military Administration, Oleksandr Zhuravliyov.
…The Holos Huliaipillia newspaper relocated to Zaporizhzhia in the first days of the full-scale invasion in 2022. But the connection with the readers was not interrupted. The newspaper is delivered to the frontline Vozdvyzhivka Community. It is also distributed through hubs for displaced people, where residents of three communities come together – Huliaipole, Malynivka, and Vozdvyzhivka.
“People are waiting for the newspaper and are always happy to receive it,” says editor-in-chief Tetiana Velyka. “When receiving humanitarian aid, people also take the newspaper with them, along with the products.”
In October, Holos Huliaipillia celebrates its 95th anniversary. The almost century-old newspaper, which survived Soviet times, independence, Maidan, and is now experiencing a full-scale war.
“For Huliaipole, our newspaper is a kind of brand, like Ataman Nestor Makhno,” says Tetiana Velyka. “As an editor, I have no right to close it or liquidate it.”
But it is becoming increasingly difficult to work. Subscription through Ukrposhta brings about UAH 2,000 per month. Before the war, local businesses funded the newspaper through advertising, and it had a wide subscriber base. All this has disappeared. Now the only hope is for the grantors.
On September 29, 2025, the NUJU, with the support of the Czech human rights organization, People in Need, decided to provide material assistance to Holos Huliaipillia and Zoria. For these publications, this is an opportunity to continue their existence.
“Support for frontline media is one of the most important areas of NUJU’s work,” comments Sergiy Tomilenko. “The newspapers Zoria and Holos Huliaipillia fulfill a very important mission: they provide residents of frontline territories with reliable information, counteract disinformation, and maintain contact with thousands of displaced persons who were forced to leave their native places. Thanks to our partnership with the Czech organization People in Need, we have the opportunity to support these publications during their most challenging period. This is an investment not only in journalism, but also in the resilience of Ukrainian communities.”
Oleksandr Pasichnyk admits that he himself did not receive a salary for three months – he lives on a small pension. All the money goes to publishing the newspaper: we need to pay the typesetter, designer, taxes, and cover printing services, as well as a small amount to compensate the volunteers who distribute the publication.
Along with publishing newspapers, the newspapers of Zoria and Holos Huliaipillia are also developing their digital platforms.
The online platform of Holos Huliaipillia, Huliaipole.City, shows impressive results. For July-September 2025 – almost 690,000 views.
“For a small frontline publication, this is a huge result and proof that our voice is needed and heard,” emphasizes Tetiana Velyka.
The website Zoria (zoria.info) primarily serves displaced people who want to stay informed about events in their hometown. Oleksandr Pasichnyk publishes articles from the paper newspaper and other materials on the website. He writes a lot about frontline soldiers.
Both editors emphasize that as long as there are people, there will be a newspaper. For tens of thousands of people, they have become not just a press, but a symbol of invincibility. The support of the NUJU and Czech benefactors gives these publications a chance to survive. However, the main thing that keeps them afloat is their dedication to their cause, their responsibility to their readers, and an unshakable belief that truth and information are as important as any other weapon in this war.
As long as Zoria and Holos Huliaipillia are published, Lyman and Huliaipole live. And this is the most important thing.
NUJU Information Service
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