Snihurivka is one of the few settlements in the Mykolayiv Region that was under Russian control for months, until November 10. Ihor Novikov, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper called Visti Snihurivshchyny shared with the press service of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) about his experience of working in wartime conditions and what the invaders did to the premises of the local newspaper’s editorial office.
“We had to stop printing the publication immediately after the start of the war: Ukrposhta was no longer working. But we did not leave journalistic work, we worked on social networks. They gave information about what was happening in the town. People had to receive objective and complete information, because the truth is the best medicine against shock. People calmed down when they learned that shops and pharmacies in the town were working, and there was fuel,” said the media person.
Up until March 19, when the invaders entered the town, journalists of the publication, including the editor-in-chief, collected information about what was happening in Snihurivka, about the work of volunteers, and documented the crimes of the Russian occupiers.
“On March 14, the day of the liberation of Snihurivka from the Nazi invaders, the Rashists dropped four powerful parachute bombs on the town. As a result of this barbaric act, many buildings in the town were destroyed, people were killed and wounded. I worked on the spot, took pictures, collected information, took comments. And how much I was surprised when the Russians released the footage of the same destruction that I filmed, but presented it as “the work of Ukrainians”! Now the town has already been liberated, but people are still afraid of enemy shelling and bombing…,” expresses his indignance Ihor Novikov.
Having entered the town and “cleared” it, the invaders began a raid, they were looking for anti-terrorist operation troopers, activists, weapons. They also came to Ihor Novikov’s house and inspected his office. The journalist was particularly worried about his 88-year-old mother, who has a heart disease and for some time he did not even tell her that the war had started. It became impossible to work: for taking pictures on the streets of the town, the invaders could shoot without hesitation.
“As a result, we decided to leave the town and move to Odesa. I participated in several trainings of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) on the safety of journalists, so I knew how to behave in an aggressive environment. It is necessary to try not to engage with aggressors not only in a discussion, but also in a conversation in general, calmly answer their questions. Of course, the phone and laptop must be “sterile,” Ihor Novikov said.
Not everyone willing to leave the town succeeded. The situation with the boarding school for the elderly is unclear – some residents were evacuated, some remained in Snihurivka. An elderly woman, a relative of Ihor Novikov’s friends, was taken from the boarding school to his apartment. So, she lived there throughout the occupation, and died on the day of liberation…
As for the family of the journalist himself, it is still staying in Odesa. Anna Voloshyna, the eldest daughter of Ihor Voloshyn, has been living in the United States with her husband for several years – after the beginning of massive Russian aggression, she is actively involved in volunteering, and also arranges dinners of Ukrainian cuisine for Americans. Funds from these dinners go to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And recently, she published a book in English about Ukrainian cuisine under the telling title Let’s Be!
Currently, the journalist continues to collect information about the situation in Snihurivka remotely for the time being – it is not possible to return to the town at the moment.
In the building where our editorial office is located, the windows were broken, the office was robbed. An editorial car was stolen from the garage. Almost everything was taken out of the editorial office, including the refrigerator and chairs. But pleasing is the fact that a work of art has been preserved – the Journalist’s Table memorial sign, which was presented to the editorial office for the newspaper’s 90th anniversary by one of the local artists in 2020.
Unfortunately, the house of the journalist’s mother was also seriously damaged – a shell exploded nearby… In general, there is a lot of destruction in Snihurivka. However, they also tell about curious moments: near the poultry farm in the liberated town, they found a warehouse of washing machines stolen from the townspeople. Each one has an inscription to which of the occupiers it was supposed to “belong.” But it didn’t happen as expected – a shell exploded nearby, and all the looted property was destroyed…
“When the situation in Snihurivka stabilizes, we plan to resume publication of the newspaper. However, it is still unclear how it could be distributed – the post office is not yet open, and so are the shops. But let’s hope for the best: people love our newspaper,” says the editor.
Maksym Stepanov, NUJU Information Service.
Photo by Andrii Dubchak / Donbas Frontliner
