JULY 1, 1967 — MARCH, 2022
54 YEARS, JOURNALIST, BLOGGER
«Russians doesn’t let anyone leave: they shoot up the cars, and even kill those trying to flee on bicycles. People can only sit quietly in their homes. Since yesterday, does not no electricity, the internet connection is barely there. Humanitarian catastrophe is a question of a month, tops. I’m deleting Twitter, hope to see you again. Everything will be Ukraine!» — this is the last tweet from Ukrainian blogger and journalist Oksana Haidar, better known by her pseudonym, Ruda Pani. It dates back to March 11, 2022. Since then, Oksana had been offline. Her death was made known of in May.
Oksana had been living in Moscow with her husband and son. Nonetheless, it did not stop her from disapproving of the policies of Russia and Putin’s overwhelming urge to take control over Ukraine at all cost. When the war broke out, Oksana returned to the motherland to be close with her mother, Lidiia. The village they were in was taken over by the Russian occupiers. Both mother and daughter were killed when the village Shevchenkove, Kyiv region, was under artillery fire. Their bodies were recovered in the garden. Their lives were cut short from injuries due to the explosions.
Oksana was born and raised in Kyiv, in the family of a journalist. Her father, Yurii, was the deputy editor of «Sportyvna Gazeta». She graduated from the faculty of journalism of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
They used to call Oksana the true daughter of Ukraine. She was known for her history-themed publications. She ran a Ukraine-themed website. She was under pressure in Russia; her husband was threatened. Regardless, Oksana was conscientious and courageous, even when living in the belly of the aggressor state. Thousands of people used to read and share her nit-picking posts.
By a fatal twist of fate, the Russian world caught up with Oksana in Ukraine. And set her free. Free from life.
