Ukraine: Russian Shelling Injures Svitlana Dolbysheva
The ZDF producer left with multiple fractures and concussion
Location: Ukraine, Kharkiv
Date: December 30, 2023
Svitlana Dolbysheva, a producer for the German television group ZDF, was injured during the shelling of the Kharkiv Palace Hotel. Dolbysheva was among five ZDF employees in the hotel when it was hit by a Russian missile on the night of December 30. This incident marks the seventh woman journalist assaulted by Russian missiles reporting from the frontlines in Ukraine in 2023. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom extends its wishes for a swift recovery to Svitlana Dolbysheva. We express our strong condemnation of Russia's intentional targeting of journalists in conflict zones, an act that constitutes a war crime. We urge the International Criminal Court to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this case and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
On the evening of December 30, the Kharkiv Palace Hotel, situated in the heart of Kharkiv, was hit by a missile strike from Russia. At the time of the attack, five staff members from the German television network ZDF were present in the hotel. Two of them, a security guard and producer Svitlana Dolbysheva, sustained injuries.
The security guard suffered minor injuries and was released from the hospital the same day. Dolbysheva, however, was transferred to a hospital in Kyiv for treatment. Her injuries, while not life-threatening, were significant, including a mine-explosive head injury, a cut, a concussion, fractured vertebrae, ribs, contusion, a bruised lung, pneumothorax, and bruises all over her body.
Dolbysheva recounts the terrifying moments of the attack. “The explosive wave threw me back, I started to crawl, and there was a second arrival, from which everything rained down even more, and then some glob fell on me. I was very scared then.”
Despite her injuries, she managed to escape the rubble and make it to the hotel's underground parking lot, which served as a shelter. Dolbysheva remains optimistic about her recovery. Her fractures are healing well, and she is expected to begin rehabilitation in three to four weeks.
A week prior, on December 22, 2023, photographer Vlada Liberova was injured in the Donetsk Oblast as documented by CFWIJ. It is alleged that Russian forces targeted the vehicle she was traveling in, resulting in injuries to her leg.
The assault on Dolbysheva exemplifies the dangers journalists in Ukraine face. In 2023 alone, at least seven women journalists were targeted by Russian strikes while reporting from the frontlines. CFWIJ has recorded the deaths of at least five women journalists since Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine in February 2022. Oksana Baulina, Oksana Haidar, Oleksandra Kuvshynova, Vira Hyrych, and Victoria Amelina have all tragically lost their lives due to shelling by Russian forces.
These attacks on journalists form part of Russia's wider strategy to intimidate the press in Ukraine, supplemented by detentions and criminal prosecutions aimed at media workers and their families. In response to these actions, CFWIJ, along with 20 other press freedom organizations, has issued a joint statement calling on international organizations to act against Russia and hold it accountable for its war crimes against journalists.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom strongly condemns Russia's ongoing assaults on media personnel in Ukraine. We extend our wishes for a speedy recovery to Svitlana Dolbysheva and call for an immediate, comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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