Olena Maksymenko

Reporter. She has been a freelancer for most of her career and has written for Ukrainian publications. She was an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity. In 2014, at the beginning of the occupation of Crimea, she and her colleagues spent three days in Russian captivity. Since 2016, she has been visiting the frontline as a military reporter. She is the author of "Bremen Highways," "I am November to You," "Unrepentant," "Dogs that tame people," and "Direct Speech. Defense chronicles.”

27 Dec, 2024 - Hryhorii Ivanchenko - Andriy Dubchak - Nadia Karpova - Yakiv Liashenko - Olena Maksymenko - Diana Delyurman - Danylo Dubchak - Artem Derkachov

Ukraine is defending: 2024 in photos from Frontliner reporters

Ukraine has been in a full-scale war with Russia for the third year. 2024 was especially difficult and exhausting for the army, society, and economy. Every day, 100-200 combat clashes along the thousand-kilometer front line. Hundreds of drones and missiles are launched at cities and villages in the depths of the country. The advantage of the Russian army in terms of human and weapon resources is reflected in the loss of territories and the exhaustion of people in the Ukrainian military. The situation is becoming critical. But society seems to have gotten used to life in war. Moral and economic fatigue and the uncertainty of the future seem to blind and hide from us the primary and unchanging goal of the Russian Federation - the destruction of Ukraine forever. 2025 may become decisive in this war…

26 Sep, 2023 - Olena Maksymenko

«I gave the children just a normal day.» – Meet Pimbo, the Italian clown returning smiles to Ukraine’s frontline kids

Marco Rodari’s signature act is making giant bubbles. He creates enormous, magical orbs and launches them over his young audience. The children go wild, jumping up and down, squealing in delight as they try to pop the bubbles before they float away. For over nine months, this Italian performer has brought joy and laughter to […]

03 Jun, 2023 - Yeva Fomycheva - Danylo Dubchak - Olena Maksymenko

Steel Warriors Guarding the Border: Training Fighters to Liberate the Occupied Territories

It is noisy in the clearing. “Man down! Medic!” “How you doing, buddy? Can you hear me?” “Cover!” “Contact on the left!” The grenades that explode are drill grenades. The moans of the ‘man down’ are somewhat theatrical and mixed with witty remarks like, “Be quiet—you’re unconscious! Or maybe not, you’d better be conscious!” But […]

30 Jan, 2023 - Olena Maksymenko - Danylo Dubchak

«Sirius»: Lessons of Charity. How the Largest Animal Shelter in Ukraine Is Living Through the War

“This is Izyumka, a cat brought from Izyum by Danish journalists after they pulled her out from under the rubble. Her tail had to be amputated because it was torn off, and her pelvis and leg were broken,” says Oleksandra Mezinova, founder of Sirius, an animal shelter in the village of Fedorivka just outside Kyiv, […]

17 Jun, 2021 - Andriy Dubchak - Olena Maksymenko

«Accident Operations Forces» – How Ukrainian «Hospitallers» are hardening military paramedics

“During the exam, there will be one or two panic attacks” “You’re aces. I want to congratulate you on your first graveyard!” The first lessons of pre-medical care are going ahead with difficulty – both emotional and physical. Seventeen people are divided into three groups – “Bravo”, “Alpha”, and “Charlie” – in a fashion similar […]