Ukrainian journalist who worked for hromadske declared dead after four years missing in action
Ukrainian journalist and soldier Samuil Proskuryakov, who previously worked for hromadske, has been legally declared dead four years after going missing during fighting against Russian forces in southern Ukraine.
His wife, journalist Diana Kovaliova, announced that a court had declared him killed in action on Oct. 15, 2022, during Ukraine's counteroffensive in Kherson Oblast. He was 29.
For four years, his family had lived without confirmation of his fate.
"On Oct. 15, 2022, he could have told his friends and loved ones a funny and terrifying story about how he went missing for a few minutes during a battle in Kherson Oblast," Kovaliova wrote.
"Unfortunately, we never heard that story. Yesterday, a court declared my husband, Samuil Valeriyovych Proskuryakov, dead while carrying out a combat mission. And today marks exactly four years of his silence."
Born in 1993 in Kryvyi Rih, Proskuryakov studied cultural studies in Kyiv and took part in Ukraine's 2013–2014 Revolution of Dignity, during which he was injured by an exploding gas grenade.
He later worked as a journalist, covering human rights and social issues for several Ukrainian outlets, including hromadske, Zaborona and Babel. His 2020 feature Clementine and the Botanist was shortlisted for a Ukrainian journalism award.
Proskuryakov and Kovaliova had planned to register their marriage on Feb. 24, 2022 — the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Instead, they evacuated Kyiv as Russian missiles struck Ukraine.
He subsequently joined Ukraine's 128th Mountain Assault Brigade and fought in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk sectors before his unit was deployed to the Kherson counteroffensive.
During one battle, he suffered a concussion but managed to evacuate wounded comrades and recover the bodies of fallen soldiers under fire.
After receiving treatment and celebrating his wedding, Proskuryakov returned to the front. He went missing during fighting on Oct. 15, 2022.
In an interview with Ukrainska Pravda shortly before his disappearance, he spoke about the possibility that he might not return.
"I understand where I am. I realize that many will not come home. And I may not come home either," he said. "It's sad, but we have to pull ourselves together and do our jobs. If everyone does their job, the country will be free."
According to the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, at least 159 media workers have been killed since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, including journalists who joined the armed forces.
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