I started as an editor at the Kyiv Post fresh out of journalism school in the spring of 2008.
Viktor Yushchenko was in power and there was a sense of hope and economic opportunity in Ukraine. The real estate market was hot. European retail outlets, global consulting companies and hotel chains were expanding into Kyiv and establishing their presence.
In the newsroom, there was no such thing as a slow news day. There were many events to cover, such as Vitali Klitschko hiring former New York City mayor and presidential candidate, Rudy Guiliani, as a consultant to advise him on heavyweight boxer’s run as mayor of Kyiv. You read that right.
There were also conferences to attend, new company launches and, of course, a mainstay in Ukrainian politics – fistfights between political rivals in the Verkhovna Rada to cover. Despite the political resurgence in Ukraine after 10 years of Leonid Kuchma’s rule, and subsequent Orange Revolution that swept Yushchenko to power, political spectacle continued. Imagine two congressmen in the House of Representatives trading blows? I can’t either.
While I was at the Kyiv Post there was a large focus to appeal to the large expat community, but I saw a changing readership. Ukrainian, Western-educated and English-speaking professionals were slowly returning to Ukraine and reading the Kyiv Post. The readership was expanding and the Kyiv Post was growing into a trusted English news source for Ukrainians. Focus shifted from mainly covering the business and diplomatic elites and where to eat and get drunk in Kyiv to which politician or oligarch was stealing from who, from where and how much. More coverage was also placed on how ordinary Ukrainians were fairing in a corrupt, inefficient system.
At my short time at the newspaper, we focused on social issues that plagued Ukraine.
I worked with some talented journalists, editors, photographers and graphic artists and was proud when Elizabeth Sewall, a fellow editor, wrote a front page story on the increasing racially motivated violence against migrants in Ukraine.
“Racist attacks on rise” – the first story of its kind in Ukraine – or about how Ukrainian women were signing up for workshops to learn the art of “stervologia” – Russian for how to manipulate men to get what they want. I was also proud of our focus on human trafficking and the rise of women in the corporate workplace. Many of these topics were hard to report on since data was non-existent or hard to find.
Today, the newspaper continues to write about serious issues that face Ukraine, such as endemic corruption, a lack of accountability, centralized power and the slow speed at which reforms are being rolled out.
More recently, the Kyiv Post has played an important role in highlighting how the war is socially and economically affecting ordinary Ukrainians including the over 1 million displaced persons. The newspaper has even become a reliable and trusted newssource for other news organizations, often cited as an original source and is oneof the top sources that come up when searching news in Ukraine. This isimpressive given the small size of the newsroom and the meager budget. Put simply, the Kyiv Post punches above its weight.
As the Kyiv Post celebrates its 20th anniversary it is a good time to stop and acknowledge the important role the newspaper has played in Ukraine since it first launched in 1995. Besides covering important news in Ukraine, the newspaper and its staff have held politicians, oligarchs and others in power accountable and exposed hidden deals, corrupt practices, political charades and abuses of power that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. The newspaper and its staff are gritty and have published controversial editorials and were one of the first to call out Russian President Vladimir Putin for his warmongering and the West’s inaction.
By reporting on the news in Ukraine for two decades the Kyiv Post has helped influence positive change. Most importantly, the newspaper has helped Ukrainians better understand who they are. Ukraine’s leaders may disagree, since they often found themselves mocked or investigated by the Post, but the newspaper has strengthened Ukraine and will continue to do so as long as it remains objective and continues to report the truth.
Alexandra Stadnyk was a Kyiv Post editor from April-August 2008. She is a strategic communications consultant in Canada. She provides media and communications support to Patriot Defence, an initiative that provides Ukrainian service personnel with combat first aid kits and training.
