Olha Khudetska - attack 06.03.2026

On March 6, 2026, freelance journalist Olha Khudetska published a post on her X (Twitter) account in which she expressed a wish to see financial reporting from the medical battalion Hospitallers on how the donations they collect are spent. The journalist attached screenshots from Monobank to illustrate that some donation jar accounts appear to be duplicated and that funds are regularly collected from them. Other screenshots show which legal entities are directly related to the activities of the Hospitallers.

The post gained attention on social media and in the media. Soon afterward, Khudetska reported receiving threats. On her Facebook page, she shared screenshots of comments and messages she received following the publication of the post about the Hospitallers. These messages contain signs of online attacks, including hate speech, sexualized harassment, and gendered disinformation. Some of them include direct threats of physical violence, such as statements like “I wish your leg would be torn off,” “watch your back,” “your legs will be broken anyway,” and “a normal soldier would simply spit in your face.” The comments also include insinuations about the journalist’s alleged “corruption” or claims that she works for the current authorities, using phrases such as “Zelensky’s monkey,” “green media whore,” and “another green agent exposed.”

“A large number of people in the comments wrote various things: not only direct threats but also different kinds of wishes for misfortune. One of the key lines of defense, as I understand it, is the claim that I am doing this on someone’s orders — either the Russians or the Office of the President. They also demand that I report my own income. They say someone paid me and that such reporting should somehow ‘expose’ me,” Khudetska told Women in Media in a comment.

Accusations against Khudetska circulating on social media also concern alleged violations of journalistic standards. The journalist herself emphasized that journalistic standards should be discussed in relation to journalistic materials, not a personal post on X. In addition to threats, Khudetska also recorded attempts to hack her Telegram account.

The head of the medical battalion Hospitallers, Yana Zinkevych, responded to the threats against the journalist. On her Facebook page, she spoke out against harassment and insults:

“Anyone who decided to chase hype and hide behind defending my name in order to send threats or insult the journalist — that is your personal choice and your shame. I did not authorize anyone to speak in a rude manner on any issue. I support criticism, discussion, even disagreement, but I am categorically against harassment, threats, and insults. At the same time, I am categorically against harassment, threats, and insults regardless of which side a person is on. Let us remain human, even when emotions run high.”

Thus, this case is a clear example of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). Such a reputational online attack may be aimed at intimidating the journalist and undermining trust in her public position, as evidenced by the discrediting and manipulative statements and accusations directed at her.