Ukrainian Journalists Killed in Kramatorsk Drone Strike

October 23, 2025 – Ukraine/Russia – 

Two Ukrainian media workers, journalist Olena Hubanova and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin, were killed in a Russian drone strike in the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region. The attack, carried out using a Lancet-type unmanned aerial vehicle, targeted the area on a working day as they were carrying out their reporting duties for Freedom TV Channel. According to the regional military administration, the journalists died at the scene, and the incident is now under official investigation to determine further details, including whether they were deliberately targeted.

The deaths of Hubanova and Karmazin highlight the increasingly perilous conditions facing Ukrainian journalists in active combat zones. This tragedy follows a series of similar incidents in which media workers have lost their lives as a direct result of the ongoing war. In May 2025, television presenter Maksym Nelipa was killed while participating in combat operations, while in March, Dmytro Bendikov, editor-in-chief of the TSN website, died on the front lines. Earlier in the same month, videographer Kyrylo Polikevych was killed in the Donetsk region. Each of these incidents underscores the deepening risks faced by journalists and media personnel who continue to work under the threat of shelling, drone attacks, and other military strikes.

The use of Lancet drones in this particular strike points to the evolving nature of the war and the increasing reliance on unmanned systems that place not only combatants but also civilians and journalists at risk. For Ukraine’s press community, the loss of Hubanova and Karmazin is a devastating blow, symbolizing the personal cost of documenting a war that has already claimed thousands of lives.

International press freedom advocates and Ukrainian officials have condemned the attack, calling it further evidence of the dangers faced by media workers and the urgent need for greater protection. As investigations continue, the incident reinforces the reality that journalists in Ukraine are paying a high price simply for doing their jobs in war zones.

Reference – 

https://unn.ua/en/news/ukrainian-journalists-killed-in-kramatorsk-by-enemy-drone-strike