Journalists Anna Zheleznyak and Oksana Kryvitska have been awarded the prestigious Václav Havel Scholarship, presented annually by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
This is reported by Finway
Professional Journey of Anna Zheleznyak
For three years, Anna Zheleznyak worked at “Suspilne Novyny,” where she prepared news content for television, radio, online platforms, and social media. She paid special attention to covering Russian aggression against Ukraine, working on the ground in areas of shelling, collecting stories from victims, and creating reports from protests, court hearings, as well as analytical materials on military and political topics.
“In my profession, I value the opportunity to highlight the non-obvious yet important issues for society and to make the truth visible. The most important thing for me is the trust of the people who dare to share their stories with me and be heard,” says Anna. “Thanks to the scholarship, I want to learn to work with new formats and focus on researching the Czech experience in rehabilitation and psychological support, which could be beneficial for Ukraine.”
During the full-scale war, Anna prepared a series of interviews with Ukrainians released from captivity, revealing violations by Russia of the Geneva Convention regarding the treatment of prisoners of war. On the YouTube channel of “Suspilne,” she hosted the project “Opinion,” where she analyzed socially significant issues such as the activities of the Territorial Recruitment Centers, the lack of service terms in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the limitations of consular services for men of conscription age abroad. Anna also worked at “Gazeta po-ukrayinsky” and the magazine “Krayina,” focusing on the adaptation of Ukrainian businesses to wartime conditions.
Oksana Kryvitska’s Experience and Contribution to Regional Media
Since 2023, Oksana Kryvitska has been a journalist for the Kherson publication “Vhory”. She covers community life in southern Ukraine during the war, the occupation of Kherson region, the consequences of Russian shelling, and the region’s recovery process. Oksana combines various journalistic formats, from interviews and reports to analytical studies and investigations.
Previously, Oksana worked at the investigative agency “Chyotverta Vlada” in Rivne, where she wrote about social issues, the lives of internally displaced persons, and potential abuses in the public sector. In 2024, she participated in the UMPP program from IREX and interned at The Denver Gazette and The Gazette in the USA, where she mastered modern multimedia journalism formats and became acquainted with the workings of American newsrooms.
Over the next six months, Anna Zheleznyak and Oksana Kryvitska will work at the headquarters of Radio Liberty in Prague and will also spend one month at the Kyiv bureau.
The Václav Havel Scholarship is a joint initiative of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, supported by the Dagmar and Václav Havel VIZE97 Fund. The program aims to support journalists who strive to develop media pluralism and independence. Last year, the scholarship was awarded to Kateryna Farbar and Yaroslav Tymoshchuk from Ukraine.
