Ukrainian journalist and combat medic Olena Sharhovska dies

Olena “Jane” Sharhovska has died. The Hospitallers medical battalion lost a key figure who spent the last decade of her life evacuating wounded soldiers from active combat zones. Before she traded her press for a stretcher, Sharhovska built a long career in Ukrainian media.

Yana Zinkevych, the commander of the Hospitallers, confirmed the news. Her former colleagues at Novynarnia also shared the announcement. Zinkevych described Sharhovska’s final years of service with stark imagery. “Having mastered tactical medicine, Jane went to evacuate the wounded from the hottest sections of the front line, snatching the lives of our soldiers from the jaws of death on the way to stabilisation points,” Zinkevych said.

Sharhovska began her medical work in 2015. She first volunteered with the First Volunteer Mobile Hospital named after Mykola Pyrohov. She later joined the Hospitallers. Her path into medicine followed a diverse media background. She worked as a journalist, translator, editor, and social media specialist. Her portfolio included television, print, and projects for Ukraїner and Osvitoria.

She did not just treat patients. She also campaigned for structural changes in the military. In 2016, she co-organized the Invisible Battalion March in Kyiv. The event pressured authorities to open combat positions to women. She continued this advocacy as a member of the Women's Veteran Movement, pushing for better equipment for female defenders.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Sharhovska was in Portugal. An injury delayed her return to Ukraine. She served as a volunteer from abroad before enlisting on September 10, 2022. That date was her birthday. She served in the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Her deployments took her to Bakhmut, Toretsk, and Kharkiv Oblast. In those areas, she performed medical evacuations and trained other service members in tactical medicine. She was discharged in August 2024 for health reasons. Novynarnia remembered her as a person who kept her love of words and people despite the difficulties. The outlet noted that she helped fellow soldiers through fundraising and bought vehicles for the front.

Bohdan Lohvynenko, founder of Ukraїner and a fellow journalist, also paid tribute. He recalled living in neighboring buildings in Vynohradar. He said they often sat in one of their kitchens discussing editorial matters. Lohvynenko described her as a driving force behind many processes. Her motto, according to Novynarnia, was to do what she believed needed to be done, and then let it happen.