“Russians are systematically destroying Ukrainian memory,” says Reuters cameraman Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei, who was wounded in the war

The russians are systematically destroying Ukrainian memory: burning books, rewriting history, so the work of journalists, correspondents, and cameramen is crucial to have evidence of russia’s war crimes.

Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei said this during the Third International Conference called Crimea Global. Understanding Ukraine through the South in Kyiv on November 17, 2025, ZMINA reports.

“I think my story is a bit symbolic, because the russians are trying in every way to destroy Ukrainian memory. And they resort to any methods: they burn books in the occupied territories, falsify history, and engage in propaganda. Therefore, the work of journalists, the work of cameramen, photographers is extremely important, because we document russian crimes so that later in court there will be real living evidence of these russian crimes,” said Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei.

The journalist also added that he has been covering the war for 12 years. First, he filmed the Ilovaisk siege; then, the occupation of Crimea. He also went to Debaltseve, evacuating prisoners.

He noted that it is now very important for journalists in Ukraine to document all acts of destruction of cultural heritage and the cruelty of the russian military.

Previously, Reuters cameraman Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei was seriously injured on August 24, 2024, in Kramatorsk as a result of a russian strike on the Sapfir hotel, spent several months in a coma, and is currently recovering. In 2015, Ivan received the annual German award for TV and film cameramen, Deutscher Kamerapreis, in the nomination “best news story from a war zone” for the television film “Escape from Ilovaisk”, filmed for the German TV channel ARD.