Journalist Olena Melnyk’s apartment damaged by missile strike in village near Kyiv

As a result of a missile strike on the outskirts of Kyiv on the night of September 28, the home of the family of journalist KyivVlada, Olena Melnyk, was damaged. Her children experienced severe stress.

The missile struck 100 meters from an apartment building in the residential complex Lvivskyi, located in the village of Petropavlivska Borshchahivka. Fortunately, Olena, her husband, and two daughters – 11 and 4 years old – were not physically injured. Having learned from Telegram channels that a missile was heading towards their location, they managed to hide in a corner separated from the windows by two walls two minutes before the explosion.

The journalist’s apartment suffered serious damage: three window frames were torn out and deformed, several panes were broken, and the ceiling on the loggia collapsed. According to the village council commission’s conclusion, all windows need to be replaced.

The damaged windows are now closed with improvised means, but they do not keep the heat in – the apartment is very cold. The family plans to undertake the repairs at their own expense. However, they hope to receive partial compensation from the state.

In addition to the windows, the family’s car was also damaged – its windshield was damaged.

According to the newsroom, Olena Melnyk has been working at the KyivVlada publication for over eight years. She specializes in public procurement and current topics. She is a frequent recipient of scholarships from Ukrainian and international programs. With the support of IWPR Ukraine, she prepared an investigation into the destroyed newsrooms of the Kyiv Region and the mechanisms for their restoration. Her article about the reconstruction of hospitals in the capital region won first place in the StateWatch competition.

Together with the Department of Online Media of the Institute of Journalism of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, she has implemented an educational project. She held an open lecture on regional public procurement and provided six-month mentoring for students. With the support of the Institute for the Development of Regional Press, she prepared an investigation into a construction waste dump in the floodplain of a river in Irpin. She is currently conducting a series of environmental investigations during wartime.

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) will provide Olena Melnyk with urgent financial assistance.

NUJU Information Service

Photo by KyivVlada