Olena Sharhovska died after 25 months of frontline service

Olena "Jane" Sharhovska, a veteran of the Hospitallers medical battalion and former media professional, has died at the age of 46. Yana Zinkevych, the commander of the Hospitallers, announced the news alongside former colleagues at the media outlet Novynarnia. Sharhovska had built a career in television and print journalism, working as a translator, editor, and social media specialist before dedicating her life to medical rescue.

Sharhovska began her military service in 2015 as a volunteer with the First Volunteer Mobile Hospital named after Mykola Pyrohov. She later joined the Hospitallers unit. Zinkevych noted that Sharhovska mastered tactical medicine and operated in the most intense areas of the front line. "Having mastered tactical medicine, Jane went to evacuate the wounded from the hottest sections of the front line, snatching the lives of our soldiers from the jaws of death on the way to stabilisation points," Zinkevych said.

Before the full-scale Russian invasion, Sharhovska was living in Portugal. An injury delayed her return to Ukraine, and she initially supported the war effort as a volunteer from abroad. On September 10, 2022, which was her birthday, she formally enlisted in the military. She served with the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a unit that included both Ukrainian and foreign volunteers.

During her deployment, Sharhovska was stationed in Bakhmut, Toretsk, and Kharkiv Oblast. Her duties included evacuating wounded soldiers and training other service members in tactical medicine. As a member of the Women's Veteran Movement, she advocated for female defenders to receive proper equipment. She was discharged from active duty in August 2024 due to health reasons, after 25 months of service.

Sharhovska was also a co-organizer of the Invisible Battalion March in Kyiv in 2016. The event aimed to pressure authorities to open military positions to women that had previously been reserved for men. Her advocacy for gender equality in the Armed Forces continued throughout her service. She worked to ensure women served on the same footing as their male counterparts.

Novynarnia described Sharhovska as a person of words and travel with a deep interest in the world. The outlet noted that she continued to help fellow soldiers through fundraising efforts and by purchasing vehicles for the front. Her personal motto was to do what she believed needed to be done and then accept the consequences.

Bohdan Lohvynenko, founder of Ukraїner and a fellow journalist, recalled living in neighboring buildings in Vynohradar. He described her as a source of support and a driving force behind many projects. Lohvynenko noted that while she was harsh toward the unknown, she remained a central figure in their shared editorial community.