Soldier, XSPORT video editor Anton Yakovenko killed in action

Anton Yakovenko. Photo by Serhiy Yakovenko on Facebook

Soldier Anton Yakovenko, who worked as a video editor for the TV channel XSPORT before the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, was killed in action, reported XSPORT on their website on February 28.

"Our friend and colleague Anton Yakovenko has died in the war. This was announced by his wife. Anton worked on various XSPORT projects as a video editor, made promos or, as the viewers would call them, announcements of our programs and livestreams," the channel reports. Namely, he produced the hockey weekly "Ice Age".

Anton Yakovenko had been fighting in the ranks of the SMB "Black Zaporozhians" No. 72, where he had previously completed his military service, since the start of the full-scale invasion.

His last battle happened in Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast).

Photo from xsport.ua

"Anton never spoke much about himself, and when asked about the hardship and the horror of the war, he simply said: 'Oh, Sanya, things are hard... But we're holding on! We must chase this scum out.' We met twice during the war, when Anton came for a short week's vacation. It was always kind of awkward to take away the time that he could be spending with his family. But Anton found some time for us to see each other, to talk about personal things, about work, to ask if each of us, whom he was defending there at the zero line, were alright. Always a positive attitude, that's how he was. Anton Yakovenko fought his last fight in Vuhledar..." wrote his colleague Oleksandr Sukmansky.

According to the Institute of Mass Information, Anton Yakovenko is the 71st media worker to die as a result of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The IMI monitors Russia's crimes against the media and journalists in Ukraine. In the two years since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has committed 567 crimes against journalists and the media in Ukraine.