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November 10, 2024 – Ukraine/Russia –
In a compelling 60 Minutes profile, veteran Ukrainian war correspondent Andriy Tsaplienko speaks to the indispensable role of journalism in his country’s fight for survival. As bombs fall and frontlines shift, Tsaplienko believes that Ukraine’s ability to resist Russia’s invasion is tied not only to its soldiers but also to the power of a free press.
Tsaplienko has covered wars across the globe, but when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, he became a war reporter in his homeland. Wounded near Chernihiv by shrapnel, he continues to report from danger zones, undeterred. To him, the risks are worth it. “We are not fighting for Zelensky,” he says. “We are fighting for our freedom, for democracy, for the future of our children.” In his eyes, journalism is both a shield and a sword—a way to expose Russian atrocities, inform the world, and keep Ukrainians resilient.
Born in Kharkiv under Soviet rule, Tsaplienko recalls handing out pro-independence leaflets in 1990 while fearing the KGB. Now, over three decades later, Kharkiv is again under siege, and his elderly mother refuses to leave. The war is personal, and so is the truth he seeks to capture. His reporting is driven not by ideology but by conviction—Ukraine’s fight, he insists, is rooted in values, not propaganda.
He acknowledges Ukraine’s internal struggles, including corruption, but warns against equating flawed democracy with dictatorship. “If Russia wins,” he says, “there will be no journalists here anymore.” For Tsaplienko, the survival of independent media is inextricably linked to national survival.
Beyond journalism, he has raised nearly $2 million for the Ukrainian military, blurring the lines between chronicler and participant. Yet he sees no contradiction: “I’m helping to save my country,” he says.
Tsaplienko’s work highlights a profound truth—free expression is not a luxury in war; it’s a lifeline. As Ukraine defends itself with tanks and trenches, Tsaplienko defends it with facts, refusing to let silence or lies take root in the rubble.
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