Ukrainian television presenter Volodymyr Ostapchuk has offered his sympathies to former colleagues after a Russian drone struck the offices of the We Ukraine broadcaster in Kyiv.
Ostapchuk is a prominent showman and host who recently relocated from Ukraine to Canada. He reacted to the September 8 attack on the studio complex where he previously anchored a daily morning program. The presenter stated on Instagram that journalists had been taken away by ambulance following the strike.
He explained that the damaged television pavilion was his primary workplace for more than eighteen months until May of this year, before offering his condolences to the entire production crew.
His wife, the blogger Kateryna Ostapchuk, also shared her reaction to the incident. She said she had visited the morning show television set on numerous occasions and described the situation as a horror, offering her own sympathies to the broadcaster's staff. She added that her husband had ended his role at the television channel shortly before their relocation abroad. Kateryna Ostapchuk was previously known by her maiden name Poltavska.
Broadcaster targeted on air
The September 8 drone attack targeted the We Ukraine headquarters in the Ukrainian capital. Kyiv has been subjected to frequent drone and missile strikes since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia had directed a strike against the media and working journalists. He reported that a strike drone hit the building right in the middle of the day while broadcasters were actively live on air.
The Ukrainian president added that the media facility suffered partial destruction in the attack.
At the time of the strike, We Ukraine was transmitting as part of the United News telethon. The telethon is a continuous joint programming initiative produced by several major Ukrainian television networks. The collaborative broadcast was established to provide continuous rolling news coverage and updates on the ongoing conflict with Russia.
