On March 13, 2023, Oleksii Olkhovyk, a cameraman and defender of Ukraine, was killed in the battle for Bakhmut.
Oleksii was a highly experienced cameraman, having worked in this field for 14 years. For some time, he was employed at Hlas TRC, and later at Suspilne, where he created hundreds of stories. Oleksii was known for his thoughtful approach to every frame and his consistently good mood.
“Oleksii had always been a great and cheerful colleague to work with,” said his co-worker Daria Prokaza. “He was passionate about every frame he captured, was supportive and open to experimentation. He always inquired about the outcome and provided advice on crafting the best story, all while sprinkling his conversations with never-ending jokes. I still remember them with a smile.”
Oleksii Olkhovyk reported numerous stories from the frontline in the area of the Joint Forces Operation. This experience deeply impacted him and motivated him to stand up for Ukraine.
On February 24, 2022, the first explosions rang out in Kyiv. Oleksii’s wife was expecting their first child, and he initially wanted to take her to her parents in the countryside before reporting to the conscription office. However, she refused and insisted on staying in the city to wait for her husband.
The next day, Oleksii enlisted in the 241st brigade of the Kyiv Territorial Defense Forces.
“Ukraine means so much to me. It represents my wife, my family, my little daughter. It embodies my hometown, Lisovyi, where I come from. Ukraine is simply beautiful. We are destined to triumph, but the cost of victory rises with each passing day,” explained Oleksii.
His unit was subsequently deployed to the Donetsk region. In September 2022, Oleksii sustained explosive shrapnel wounds and underwent treatment for about a month. During that time, he managed to visit the liberated city of Kherson and produce a story for the French-German TV channel Arte. Afterward, he returned to the frontline.
Oleksii Olkhovyk was 39 years old. He left behind a family: his wife Inna and their young daughter, Eva, who had not yet celebrated her first birthday at the time of her father's death."
