Suspilne videographer and serviceman Kyrylo Polikevych killed in the war

Kyrylo Polikevych, a videographer for public broadcaster Suspilne Dnipro, died on March 16, 2025, while performing a combat mission near Preobrazhenka in the Donetsk Oblast, which Suspilne reported.

Polikevych was born and raised in Dnipro City. In December 2008, he joined what was then the regional television station as an engineer in the computer editing department. He worked on the interregional morning project “Ranok na Suspilnomu”і . In 2020, he became a videographer.  

Polikevych was mobilized on June 28, 2023. He served in an air defense brigade and later defended Ukraine in the eastern sector, where he and his comrades twice escaped encirclement by Russian forces.

After rehabilitation, Polikevych continued his service in the Kherson Oblast, from where he was again deployed to the East of Ukraine. He served as a grenade launcher in a motorized infantry battalion of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians. In February 2025, his commander awarded him the honorary award “Infantry of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

The “Suspilne Dnipro” team remembers Polikevych as someone who was never without his camera, exceptionally talented and professional, making him indispensable for the branch’s key projects.

“Kyrylo was a very kind person, reserved but always with a smile. I only had the chance to work with him for a month and a half before he went to serve. But despite that, every time he was in Dnipro and stopped by the branch, we would sit in my office and talk. The last time he came was on December 26, 2024. There were blackouts then… We sat in the office in semi-darkness for about an hour, just talking… About life, about his service (he was in the Kherson direction then, and I know those places well), about family, and we were already making plans for his return to work. This is truly a tragedy for the entire Suspilne Dnipro’ family,” said Kateryna Lysiuk, the manager of Suspilne Dnipro.

Natalia Astratova, a videographer for “Suspilne Dnipro,” added that Polikevych was a calm and balanced person.

“While others might flare up if something didn’t work out or went wrong, Kyrylo was always calm, never raised his voice. He had a great sense of humor. He always helped everyone and approached everything with understanding. He loved his work very much, often staying overnight to finish editing materials. It’s just unbelievable, like a bad dream,” noted Natalia Astratova.

A farewell ceremony for the soldier will be held on March 21st in Dnipro.

He is survived by his wife and 8-year-old daughter, Sofia. He would have turned 43 in April.

Financial support for Kyrylo Polikevych’s family can be provided using the following details:

Polikevych Olha Volodymyrivna

5168755466800295

Earlier, Roman Plakhotnyk, a soldier and first assistant camera operator, was killed in the war.