Today at 14:53
Forever 36… On May 4, 2022, in battle in the Kharkiv region, Oleksandr Makhov — our friend and colleague, military journalist, sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and posthumous recipient of the Order “For Courage” — was killed.
Oleksandr was a man of extraordinary energy, strength, and light. Always among the first in the hottest spots. In 2014, he became a war correspondent, and in 2015, he volunteered to join the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO). After demobilization, he returned to journalism.
On February 24, 2022, he once again took up arms to defend his country. He served in the 1st Air Assault Battalion of the 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. His battalion fought on the Izium front in Kharkiv Oblast. On May 4, a column of Russian armored vehicles stormed the village of Dolhenke. Sergeant Makhov destroyed an enemy infantry fighting vehicle (BMP) and five invaders with a grenade launcher. The Russian advance was halted, but during their retreat, they opened fire — Oleksandr was fatally wounded by shrapnel.
Born in Luhansk, Oleksandr lived in Kyiv for many years. He always believed that Luhansk would be free. In 2015-2016, he fought in the 42nd Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion of the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade, which took part in the battles for Donbas. He spent nearly seven months near Horlivka in Donetsk Oblast.
After demobilization, he returned to journalism, working as a war correspondent for the “Ukraina” TV channel and later for “Dim” channel. In 2017, he became the first Ukrainian journalist to report from the Antarctic station “Akademik Vernadsky.”
In 2020, Oleksandr was the only Ukrainian journalist aboard the plane that evacuated citizens from COVID-stricken Wuhan, China. He then spent two weeks in quarantine with them in Novi Sanzhary. Wherever he worked, Oleksandr Makhov created extraordinary reports that have already become part of history.
For his personal courage and selfless actions in defending Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Oleksandr Makhov was posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage” (3rd Class). After Kharkiv Oblast was liberated from Russian occupation, a street in Izium was renamed in his honor. In Kyiv, both a street and a tram stop also bear his name.
Heroes never die! We will always remember you, friend…
Read also: Zelenskyy After Overnight Strikes: We Need a Ceasefire Not Just for Holidays, but Every Day
In 2019, a documentary about Oleksandr Makhov’s life and work was filmed as part of the “Separated by War” series — it can be watched at the provided link.
