Olena Removska - attack 27.12.2025

On 27 December 2025, a long-form interview by journalist Olena Removska with the then Head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, was published on the YouTube channel Suspilne Novyny. The comments under the video contained numerous accusations of the journalist’s alleged incompetence and poor preparation for the interview. She was described as “superficial” and “talentless,” while her questions were labeled “childish” and “naïve.”

At the same time, some users shifted to personal attacks and began commenting on the journalist’s appearance, for example her “natural look” and the absence of lip fillers. Others resorted to sexism, claiming that her “level” was interviewing pop artists such as Potap or Olya Polyakova, “combine operators,” or hosting shows like Cooking Borscht on Saturdays or Cross-Stitching.

Olena Removska was called a “manipulator,” “stupid,” and “dumb.” Commenters wrote that she was “annoying,” that it was impossible to watch the interview because of her, and that it felt as if “she was about to start crying.” Some also claimed that her allegedly low level of professional competence was that of “local district radio.”

In one comment, the author even hinted at the use of physical force against the interviewer: “There it is, military restraint — any civilian would have already slapped the interviewer. It feels like she was taken from some women’s Facebook group, where everyone believes everything is easy and simple and that the whole world should cry with us, and that the more you write ‘Glory to Ukraine,’ the faster victory will come.”

Thus, this case demonstrates clear signs of an online attack against a journalist that go beyond legitimate criticism and exhibit features of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). The mass comments include derogatory assessments of professional qualities, personal insults, and psychological devaluation aimed at undermining the journalist’s professional reputation rather than engaging with the content of the interview.

Some statements are explicitly sexist, reproduce gender stereotypes, and contain veiled references to physical violence. Taken together, this points to a reputational attack involving hate speech, sexism, and intimidation, aimed at professionally discrediting the journalist.