More than 70 Ukrainian media professionals condemned the aggressive reaction of military-political analyst of the “Information Resistance” group, Oleksandr Kovalenko, which occurred during a broadcast on the Kyiv24 TV channel on December 3, 2024. This is stated in a joint open statement initiated by the NGO “Women in Media,” reports Detector Media.
“War undoubtedly causes a high level of stress and tension. However, we believe that the behavior of Oleksandr Kovalenko is not only aggressive and completely unethical, but also violates the principles of professional communication in a live broadcast. Every expert should respect their journalist colleagues, regardless of their profession or gender, and strive for a balanced dialogue,” the media professionals stated.
They expressed solidarity with the host, Iryna Korol, and noted that such incidents “only confirm the need to create a safer environment for women in journalism.”
Below is the full text of the statement.
Open Statement on the Unacceptable Behavior of Military-Political Analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko on the “Kyiv” TV Channel
We, the media professionals, condemn the aggressive reaction of military-political analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko from the “Information Resistance” group on the “Kyiv” TV channel on December 3, 2024.
In particular, the expert reacted sharply when host Iryna Korol interrupted him while he was answering a question about Ukraine’s mobilization resources and front-line losses. According to “Detector Media,” Kovalenko said:
“Shaaaa! Shaaaa! I am the invited expert here on air, not you! (…) If you don’t understand military science, invite chemists to your show to talk about intercontinental ballistic missiles!”
The host asked the guest to lower the tone and return to discussing the topic. The conversation then continued.
War undoubtedly causes a high level of stress and tension. However, we believe that Oleksandr Kovalenko’s behavior is not only aggressive and completely unethical but also violates the principles of professional communication in a live broadcast. Every expert should respect their journalist colleagues, regardless of their profession or gender, and strive for a balanced dialogue.
Professionalism implies the ability to control emotions and work within the boundaries of civilized communication, which is essential for maintaining audience trust and effective communication in crisis situations.
We express solidarity with journalist Iryna Korol, who suffered from such an unjustified and aggressive pressure from the expert. We believe that incidents like this, especially when they occur with the voice of women in the public space, only confirm the need to create a safer environment for women in journalism.
We welcome the decision of the head of the video editorial office at Liga.net, Yurii Smyrnov, who announced that their publication would no longer take comments from military-political analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko due to his hostile behavior on the “Kyiv” channel. This is an important step towards restoring the institution of reputation and self-respect in the media.
We support this decision and call on other media outlets to follow this example until the expert issues a proper apology.
The statement was signed by the following individuals:
- Liza Kuzmenko – Head of the NGO “Women in Media”, Member of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics
- Oleksandra Horchynska – Journalist at NV
- Alona Hruzina – Communications Specialist at “Gender in Detail Expert Resource”
- Diana Dutsyk – Executive Director of the NGO “Ukrainian Institute for Media and Communications”
- Yevheniya Virlych – Editor-in-Chief of the online publication “Kavun.City”
- Iryna Sampan – Editor-in-Chief of “Hromadske Radio”, War Correspondent
- Hanna Panchenko – Editor-in-Chief of the online publication “Tabloid Volyni”
- Marina Baranivska – Journalist at “Detector Media”
- Tetiana Troshchynska – Journalist, Winner of the Georgiy Gongadze Award-2024
- Nastya Horpinchenko – Journalist at “Slidstvo.Info”
- Svitlana Ostapa – Head of the Supervisory Board of “NTSU”, Deputy Editor-in-Chief at “Detector Media”
- Anastasia Bahalyka – Gender Coordinator for the “Respect” campaign against sexism in media and politics
- Roman Kiflyuk – National Advisor at International Media Support (IMS)
- Khrystyna Kozyra – Editor-in-Chief at Hromadske
- Yevheniya Motorevska – Head of the Investigations Department on War Crimes at The Kyiv Independent
- Tetiana Pechonchik – Head of the Human Rights Center ZMINA
- Andriy Bystrov – Program Director at “Ukrainska Pravda”
- Valeriya Voronenko – Digital Editor at Suspilne Sumy
- Mykola Typusyak – Marketing Director at “Espreso”
- Bohdan Basiiy – Board Member at “Re:Cover – a peer-to-peer journalism project”
- Volodymyr Fomichov – Journalist at LIGA.net
- Olesya Bida – Investigative Journalist at The Kyiv Independent
- Vladyslav Bundash – Host and Editor at “Hromadske Radio”
- Anastasia Shibyko – CEO at “Vilne Radio”
- Natalia Lyahachova – Head of the NGO “Detector Media”
- Nataliya Humenyuk – Director of the Public Interest Journalism Laboratory
- Victoria Kobilyatska – Editor at the “Respect” campaign website against sexism in media and politics
- Anna Murlikina – Editor-in-Chief of the website 0629.com.ua, Member of the KJE
- Anastasia Rava – General Producer at Espreso
- Oksana Pavlenko – Editor-in-Chief at DIVOCHE.MEDIA
- Yuliya Bayrachna – Reporter at the National Information Agency “Ukrinform” in Kharkiv
- Victoria Hramm – Digital Editor at Suspilne Sumy
- Tetiana Karpenko – Editor at “Apostroph”
- Sevgil Musayeva – Editor-in-Chief at UP
- Sofia Kochmar – International Media Producer
- Inna Hadzinska – Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Texty.org.ua
- Tamila Ivanova – Web Editor at Suspilne Kherson
- Maria Masyuk – Journalist at ZAXID.NET
- Olena Dub – Journalist, Media Expert
- Lesya Lazorenko – CEO/Editor-in-Chief at “Kremenchutskyi Telegraf”
- Valentina Troyan – IMI Representative in the Luhansk Region, Host at “Hromadske Radio”
- Svitlana Halata – Journalist at “Svit” Newspaper
- Andriy Yanitsky – Director of the Communications Department at the State Employment Service
- Marina Synhaivska – Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Lb.ua
- Iryna Vorotna – Editor-in-Chief of the National Network of Hyperlocal Media Rayon.in.ua
- Nataliya Pakhaychuk – Head of the NGO “SID Media Group”
- Igor Denysevych – Director at CID Media Group
- Alisa Yurchenko – Investigative Journalist at The Kyiv Independent
- Anastasia Hudima – Head of the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunities Department at Public Broadcasting
- Nadiya Stadnytska – Editor at the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunities Department at Public Broadcasting
- Olena Kryvenko – Director at the Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunities Department at Public Broadcasting
- Ivan Dyakonov – Editor at “Ukrainska Pravda”
- Tetiana Kurmanova – Director of the NGO “Hromadske Radio”
- Yevheniya Honcharuk – Producer at Radio NV, Host at “Hromadske Radio”
- Polina Vernyhor – War Correspondent, Journalist at the “Return Alive” Fund
- Nastya Ivantsiv – Journalist at Suspilne News
- Victoria Yermolaieva – Editor-in-Chief at Hromadske Radio
- Aliona Romanyuk – Founder of Fact-Checking Projects “NotaEnota”, “On the Other Side of Putin’s Lies”, Lecturer at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
- Tetiana Avdieieva – Senior Lawyer at the Digital Security Laboratory, Member of the Independent Media Council
- Anastasia Rudenko – Head of Media Solutions at “Rubrika”, “Skhidnyi Variant” Media, “Vikno Vidnovlennia” Media Network
- Ludmila Tiahnyryadno – Journalist, Host at Ukrainian Radio
- Oksana Havrysh – Journalist at the online media “Chyvertavlada”
- Lina Kush – First Secretary at the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine
- Mykhailo Tkach – Journalist at “Ukrainska Pravda”
- Nataliya Onysko – Executive Director at NGL.media
- Dmytro Tuzov – Host at “Radio NV”
- Olga Bulkivska – Journalist at Rayon.in.ua, Coordinator at West Media Forum
- Oksana Maksymenuk – Media Lawyer, Head of the Legal Department at the NGO IRRP
- Lyubov Velychko – Investigative Journalist, Freelancer
- Yuriy Butusov – Editor at “Censor.NET”
- Kateryna Nikishova – Editor-in-Chief at UAnimals Media
- Dmytro Barkar – IMI Representative, Editor at Frontliner
- Yevhen Buderatsky – Deputy Editor-in-Chief at “Ukrainska Pravda”
- Nataliya Kulakevych – Editor at the “Slidstvo.Info” website
- Victor Pichugin – Journalist at the “Nakipilo” media group