Suspilne journalist and combat medic Iryna Tsybukh killed at war

The tragic event occurred during rotation on the Kharkiv Axis.

On Wednesday, May 29, 2024, a 25-year-old paramedic of the Hospitallers medical battalion, Iryna Tsybukh, with the callsign ‘Cheka’ [a grenade pin], was killed.

As a project manager of Suspilne, Iryna Tsybukh, a native of Lviv, made a significant contribution to the development of regional journalism and educational projects, in particular, in the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions, and ensuring the independence of Ukrainian media, Suspilne informs.

Her work was recognized with numerous awards, including the Ukrayinska Pravda 100. Power of Women award in the Defenders category and the Order of Merit of III degree for her significant contribution to the development of independent broadcasting and the protection of our state.

A full-scale invasion found Iryna Tsybukh in the east of Ukraine, Suspilne reports. On February 22 and 23, 2022, in Pokrovsk and Kramatorsk, she presented her documentary film about children from remote villages of еру Donetsk and Luhansk Regions who lack inclusion. On February 24, the presentation was to take place in Sievierodonetsk and the next day in Kyiv.

But the homes of the characters of the film Iryna Tsybukh ended up under russian occupation, and she returned to the ranks of the Hospitallers volunteer battalion, where she has performed several rotations on the front lines since 2014. As part of the battalion, Iryna ensured the evacuation of wounded soldiers from the hottest places and provided first aid…

Her death was reported on the Hospitallers medical battalion’s Facebook page.

“Yesterday, during the rotation on the Kharkiv Axis, our ‘Cheka’ – the hospitalist Iryna Tsybukh – passed away. A few days before her birthday. 01.06.1998 — 29.05.2024. We have no words. Nobody still believes what happened. This is an indescribable pain and an incredible loss not only for the battalion but for all of Ukraine. ‘Cheka’ said: “The only choice of freedom in a country at war… the only story of will in this context is the struggle for that will,” it said.

Here are some excerpts from Iryna’s texts provided by Hospitallers:

“War is the worst place I’ve ever been to, but it gives a ticket to real life, to the world of genuine independence; it brands the knowledge of the transience of existence.”
“I recently realized that this trend that we will all die soon is already quite loud, and everyone is preparing to die somewhere sooner or later. And when you have the opportunity to return to civilian life, then you see that – okay, maybe living this can also be a good trend. I just discovered it for myself. And I began to think – wow, you can still live!”
“I want children. I want a house. I want to plant tomatoes… but the most important thing is to end the war.”
“Is this society worth the deed of the fallen heroes? The most important thing is the deed. Stories are meant to teach us to fight for justice, punish evil, and sacrifice ourselves for the sake of others. And if others were not worth it, then this is only an element of the story that emphasizes the courage and truthfulness of the main character.”

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) expresses its deepest condolences to Iryna‘s relatives, friends, and colleagues. Eternal memory!