Vasyl Miroshnyk, the editor-in-chief of the Zolochiv-based Zoria newspaper (Kharkiv Region), delivering the newspaper to the front-line villages on his birthday, recorded a footage in which he speaks about the importance of publishing newspapers in the de-occupied territories and territories adjacent with the enemy and the importance of the activities of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) in this direction.
“Today is my birthday, I am 63 years old… Here in my car, I have Zoria newspapers… I take them to the places which are currently under shootings. In Zolochiv, the sales are good, so our Zoria is buried too early! Now, I’m driving along a road that overlooks Russian territory. The soldiers at the checkpoint were advised me not to turn anywhere, but I already know that it is not possible, and I know how it can end up with,” said Vasyl Savych.
In the village of Odorobivka, there are many people in the local store, which is open even during the shelling. They began to disassemble the newspaper immediately, they asked for a fairly substantial amount. Zoria is distributed in this store without any markup.
“It is very cool that the people here, where the shooting is taking place, are waiting for Zoria and understand its importance. Unfortunately, in our country, the importance of district newspapers is underestimated everywhere. But it is very good that the NUJU assesses the necessity of our work in the front-line territories in proper way. Sergiy Tomilenko, the President of the NUJU, is a real journalist, and he has already helped publishing of our Zoria more than once! Unfortunately, Ukrposhta as a partner during the war did not show itself from the best side.”
According to Vasyl Miroshnyk, Zoria is highly anticipated the most in the places where shots are heard almost every day:
“It’s not a fact that this road isn’t hit at any seconds. That’s why I haven’t made live broadcasts from such territories for a long time… Everything will be Ukraine!”
Vasyl Savych added that the land he was driving on was covered with weeds.
“Once upon a time, there were wide fields here, thick crops. But the weeds are temporarily here. I am sure that this road will be repaired and it will be even better than it had been before the war. And these fields will become one of the most beautiful in Ukraine, as it was before, the editor is convinced. Let God give everyone good health!”
The resumption of publishing newspapers in the de-occupied and front-line territories is one of the priorities in the NUJU team’s work. Currently, with the financial support of the NUJU and foreign benefactors, one or more issues of newspapers have been printed for Izium (Obrii Iziumshchyny), Lyman (Zoria), Barvinkove (Visti Barvinkivshchyny), Bakhmut (Vpered), Kherson (Novyi Den), Snihurivka (Visti Snihurivshchyny), Zolochiv (Zoria), Kharkiv (Selianska Hazeta), Zmiyiv (Visti Zmiyivshchyny), Blyzniuky (Nove Zhyttia), Bohodukhiv (Mayak), Kupiyansk (Visnyk Kupiyanshchyny), several more editions are on the schedule.
NUJU information service
