Novyny Horodnianshchyny registered, 3 laptops and a printer from donors received

The town of Horodnia is located 30 km from the border with both Russia and Belarus. Here, they are well aware of the bitterness of the losses and the heroic deeds of the compatriots who captured enemy tanks with their bare hands.

“Our newspaper is 106 years old this year! We worked, and we will work; we will not be defeated,” emphasizes Svitlana Tomash, the editor-in-chief of the Novyny Horodnianshchyny newspaper.

She smiles, and in passing, you marvel at her ability to maintain optimism and good humor in extremely difficult conditions.

“Our next number was supposed to be released on February 24. It was printed, but it never reached the readers because Horodnia district was under siege from the first days of the large-scale invasion of the Russian army,” Svitlana continues. “We were unable to publish; instead, we focused on covering the events on the Facebook page of Novyny Horodnianshchyny. This is how they did their media resistance. It was very dangerous, but how else?”

Svitlana recorded the entire chronology of events that took place in the city and villages of the community. Then, ordinary people became real heroes. Despite the danger (journalists were under special enemy crosshairs), she came to rallies, quickly filmed, uploaded to the network, and cleaned the phone, which could be checked at every corner.

“In the absence of an opportunity to charge a mobile phone (there was no electricity due to shelling), I had to start my working day by looking for a place where generators were turned on, and immediately write to everyone: “There is relative silence in Horodnia. We are alive”… Were you afraid? Of course. But, thank God, the occupiers did not shoot – they could only aim the machine gun, warning that for the transmission of information about the movement of Russian troops, you can say goodbye to your life,” says Svitlana Tomash.

Svitlana recalls that the occupiers broke down the doors in the premises of the Military Commissariat, the police, and the former district state administration, where the newsroom of Novyny Horodnianshchyny was located. So, having chosen the moment, the employees evacuated from the newsroom all the founding documents, part of the equipment, and the most expensive – the binders of the newspaper, starting from 1950.

The editor of Novyny Horodnianshchyny says:

• In the first days after liberation from the orcs, they found out when they would finally be able to receive a printed newspaper because, for the locals, it would mean that everything would be fine. “Circulation decreased, as with all during the great war. Today, there are only four of us in the newsroom, together with the accountant. We are in financial trouble: there is no advertising, there is no constant financial assistance either. But people trust us, and we have no right not to justify this degree of trust.”

Iryna Senchenko, the representative of the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting in the Chernihiv Region, notes: “According to the company’s statement and the appeal of the editor-in-chief of the publication, Ms. Svitlana Tomas, by the decision of the National Council dated December 11, 2023, the print edition of the newspaper Novyny Horodnianshchyny was registered.

Today, there are enough problematic issues for an ordinary but very brave newsroom. However, they do not give up and look for ways to solve all problems. They share about their work, colleagues, and their region with such love that I remain impressed for days. Unbreakable! I am proud and admire such media people!

Iryna Senchenko said that there is a great demand for equipment in the newsroom – several laptops are needed for work. She appealed to everyone who cares: “Colleagues and friends, if you have information about the possibility of helping print media, please share!”

And soon the newsroom of Novyny Horodnianshchyny reported that they had received three laptops and a printer. They were provided by the Dutch Fix Media Foundation as part of the Voices of Ukraine program.

Olha Voitsekhivska, Journalist of Ukraine