Ukrainian Journalist Uliana Boichuk Documents War Stories From Washington

Ukrainian journalist Uliana Boichuk has built a new life in Washington, DC, while remaining deeply connected to her homeland through her reporting on the war in Ukraine and its impact on families worldwide. Boichuk, who relocated to the United States following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has found purpose in documenting the stories of American volunteers who lost their lives fighting for Ukraine’s freedom.

After spending her first year and a half in Philadelphia, Boichuk moved to DC to advance her freelance career. “DC is the perfect place for my career and freelance journalism. It’s the ideal place to find people, to speak with people, to interview people, to be in the right place at the right time,” she explains. The city’s European architecture and atmosphere remind her of Kyiv, making her transition easier.

“DC feels very European because of its public transportation, the places you can visit, and the fact that Uber is very cheap,” Boichuk says. “Even the neighborhoods are similar. DC has Georgetown, which, for me, is like Podil in Kyiv. And DC has Navy Yard, which for me is like Novopecherski Lypky in Kyiv.”

During her time in Philadelphia, Boichuk found strength in the city’s vibrant Ukrainian community. Following her father’s advice to “find your people and find your church” when abroad, she immediately connected with a local Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish.

“Philadelphia has a strong Ukrainian community. Once a year, on US Independence Day in July, they participate in the parade,” she recalls. “That’s a chance to present Ukrainian culture and the diversity of cultures in the US.” These community connections provided both personal support and material for her early journalism in America.

Boichuk’s work has evolved to focus on documenting the stories of Americans who died fighting in Ukraine. After publishing several articles in Newsweek about fallen American volunteers, she was contacted by more families eager to share their stories.

One such story involved Marine Corps veteran Ethan Hurtwick. After meeting his mother through Facebook and traveling to Springfield, Missouri, to document his memorial service, Boichuk unexpectedly reconnected with the family months later in Kyiv, where they had traveled to bring their son’s remains home.

“These stories are my life. It’s not just that I do an interview and move on. I stay in touch with the families. We text regularly. They’ve become my friends,” she says. “The moms especially—I really feel their care. They message me asking, ‘It’s cold in DC, are you wearing a hat?’ or ‘Have you eaten?'”

What strikes Boichuk most about these American volunteers is their motivation. “When I first started talking to the families, the first thing I learned was that all of these men went to Ukraine to fight for what they believed was right,” she explains. “None of the men whose stories I’ve published had any roots in Ukraine. They had no personal connection there, but they still decided to do what they believed was right.”

Many were veterans who understood duty and were deeply opposed to tyranny and bullying. They saw Russia’s invasion as a classic case of a larger power attempting to dominate a smaller country, and they felt compelled to act.

In Washington, Boichuk has faced challenges countering Russian disinformation, particularly regarding Ukraine’s treatment of religious groups. She describes confronting representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia who came to Capitol Hill spreading narratives that Ukraine is persecuting Christians.

“We have extensive evidence of Russian actions—bombing Ukrainian cities, killing civilians, and abducting Ukrainian children. These are documented facts. That gives us a strong basis to counter that kind of advocacy,” she says.

Boichuk’s passion for journalism began during Ukraine’s Orange Revolution in 2004, when she was just ten years old. Watching journalists report live from Maidan Square during the protests against fraudulent elections, she knew she wanted to follow that path.

Having studied journalism in Ukraine, where American outlets like The New York Times and CNN were presented as professional models, Boichuk sees U.S. journalism as setting a standard that Ukraine continues to work toward. “I genuinely believe that the United States is ahead of much of the world in journalism and culture,” she says, noting that she particularly values rigorous reporting and source verification.

As she continues her work in Washington, Boichuk remains focused on advocacy for Ukraine. She sees her role clearly: “My job is to advocate for Ukraine—to talk about Russian war crimes, about the killing of civilians, about the abduction of Ukrainian children, and about why Ukraine needs continued support.”

Above all, she emphasizes the importance of remembering those who have fallen. “Remembering those who fought for freedom matters because they fought not only for Ukraine but also for our shared future.”