“This newspaper is very necessary for the residents of Lyman,” a doctor who lost his leg in a russian drone strike worries about the survival of the local publication

The head doctor of a hospital in the city of Lyman (Donetsk Region), Andrii Rebrov, was hit by a russian drone while on a business trip. His medical colleagues from the city of Dnipro managed to save his life, but the doctor’s right leg had to be amputated. While in intensive care, Rebrov learned about the events in his city from the website of the local publication Zoria, and worries that the newspaper is on the verge of closing.

At the end of September, Doctor Rebrov and a nurse were driving to get medicine for the hospital, when suddenly their car was ambushed by a russian FPV drone.

“It flew right into the hood, at an arm’s length from me. I tried to brake with my foot, which, as it turned out, was almost gone. I still thought then that something had happened to the pedals,” said Andrii Rebrov.

A nurse provided him with first aid, then paramedics evacuated him to a hospital in another city in an armored car. Andrii’s right leg was amputated.

“I personally spoke with Andrii today. The strength of spirit, the strength of the Lyman power, did not deprive this person loyal to Ukraine. Of course, the wounds are healing now, and everything will be fine,” notes Oleksandr Pasichnyk, the editor-in-chief and publisher of the Zoria newspaper.

Here is what the wounded doctor said in a telephone conversation:

“I have never given up and will not give up, no matter how difficult it is. And thanks to Zoria, which I now follow on the website Zoria.info and social networks. This media outlet is needed for the region as a truthful source of information. I have repeatedly appeared in the newspaper and on the website, especially during the full-scale russian attack on Ukraine. The newspaper covered our activities, including the restoration of family clinics in the villages, the equipping of these clinics with the latest medical equipment, and the purchase of an ambulance. And Zoria has always helped us and been with us in this. This newspaper is extremely necessary for the people of the estuary, because it is the truth of life.”

In an era when most publications are going online, it may seem strange: why print a newspaper if there is a website and social networks? The reality of a frontline city provides the answer.

“The newspaper serves as an information bridge between those who remained in the city and those who were forced to evacuate,” says Oleksandr Pasichnyk. “A paper newspaper does not require charging, does not depend on the Internet, which is practically absent in the frontline territories, and does not disappear due to blocking pages. It is tangible, tangible.”

Among the readers of Zoria are people scattered from Kharkiv to Canada. And for many of them, a paper copy that can be held in their hands, reread, and stored is the only affordable way to stay up-to-date with the life of their hometown.

“When a person who lost a leg emphasizes the importance of a paper newspaper from a bed in intensive care, this is the strongest argument in favor of the need for a printed edition,” notes Oleksandr Pasichnyk.

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and its international partners periodically provide Zoria with financial assistance that is feasible and sustainable. It was thanks to such assistance that the newspaper was revived after the de-occupation of Lyman in 2022. International financial donors have supported its printing for a long time. The NUJU found an opportunity to finance the publication of the September issue of the newspaper. However, there are no funds for the publication of further issues.

“Unfortunately, the newspaper currently does not have stable economic support,” says the editor. “The website and pages of Zoria on social networks continue to work, but they cannot replace the paper newspaper for a significant part of the audience – the elderly, residents of frontline communities, those who do not have stable access to the Internet due to constant power outages. For people who have survived the occupation, evacuation, and losses, the paper Zoria serves as a means to maintain a sense of community. For Lyman residents scattered around the world, the newspaper you hold in your hands is a tangible reminder that their city is alive, is being rebuilt, and remembers each of its residents.”

Now the printed Zoria is facing the question of survival. Without financial support, the paper edition may disappear exactly when it is needed most. The NUJU calls on all those who care to join in supporting the paper newspaper Zoria. Every contribution will help preserve this critically important publication for the Lyman community.

NUJU Information Service