It seems that the world and Ukrainians are teetering on the brink of chaos

By Olga Konsevych

Since April 2022, I have been working from Germany, and even though I am safe, my life has changed many times. But whenever I face difficulties, I think of my colleagues who rush to the scene of shelling immediately after the air alarms die down or assist veterans and military personnel in raising funds for their most basic needs. Understanding the importance of not comparing suffering and not devaluing my own emotions doesn’t make this perception any easier.

Recently, Reporters Without Borders released updated statistics announcing that more than 100 journalists were injured in Ukraine during the war. Russia is actively targeting journalists who refuse to cooperate, and the fate of colleagues in the occupied territories remains uncertain.

Furthermore, the fundamental needs and challenges faced by journalists in Ukraine and abroad persist. Despite the global shock following the war in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, many conflicts continue worldwide, and Russian propaganda remains effective, leading to a fading audience attention. Let’s be honest; it’s impossible for any sincere supporter of Ukraine to endure constant emotional tension.

Due to multiple reasons, including reasonable restrictions and limitations on working in frontline zones, Ukrainian journalists who previously worked as fixers no longer receive as many offers from the international media as in 2022. Some newsrooms in Germany have also ceased active cooperation with Ukrainian journalists or shifted focus to other regions, such as the Middle East or relations between China and Taiwan.

This year marks the first time in my 12-year career that I’ve ventured into freelancing without a stable contract, and it has proven to be quite challenging. Despite my keen interest in offering not only my services but also free advice on various topics, speakers, or information verification, promoting content about Ukraine remains difficult.

As we approach nearly two years since the onset of the full-scale invasion, which, in reality, was the culmination of events dating back almost a decade, it seems that the world and Ukrainians are teetering on the brink of chaos. However, I aim not to dwell solely on negativity; instead, I wish to use my words effectively to appeal to all colleagues: Please continue to think about Ukraine and help as much as you can. Any support is crucial. This will be your contribution to ‘justice’ if we want such a concept to still exist in our turbulent world.

Olga Konsevych is an M100 Alumna and works as a freelance journalist in Germany (e.g. Tagesspiegel, Centre for Collaborative Investigative Journalism). Until the end of 2022, she was editor-in-chief of the website 24tv.ua, one of the largest news sources in Ukraine.

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