"Svoyi. Kryvyi Rih" correspondent beaten in Kryvyi Rih (updated)

Serhiy, a special correspondent for online news outlet "Svoyi. Kryvyi Rih", was attacked by unknown men in Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovska oblast) on March 24, the media outlet reported on Telegram.

The attack occurred at 13:39 near a store. Serhiy’s nose and ribs were broken and he suffered a concussion, according to Oleksiy Taymurzin, “Svoyi. Kryvyi Rih” founder and current National Guard serviceman, who spoke about the incident with Kateryna Lysiuk, the Institute of Mass Information representative in Dnipropetrovska oblast.

“Serhiy, our volunteering special correspondent, was attacked by unknown men. Serhiy entered a store with his family. Two men approached him and began to threaten him: 'You're all f***ed. You, your family, and your entire team. Keep your eyes peeled. You crossed the wrong 'morticians'.' Serhiy went outside to talk to them without his family present and they attacked him. They broke his nose, crushed his retina… He also has broken ribs, a concussion… he fainted seven times in the ambulance,” said Oleksiy Taymurzin.

The editorial staff called the police.

The attack was filmed by CCTV cameras. Screenshots by "Svoyi. Kryvyi Rih", collage by Kateryna Lysiuk

Oleksiy Taymurzin believes the attack is directly linked to the media outlet's reporting.

“Our team has repeatedly received violent threats because of our professional reporting. And I believe this attack has to do with the recent release of our investigation 'Garage Morgue'. Which is confirmed by the attackers saying, 'You crossed the wrong morticians,'" he said.

The special correspondent being given first aid. Photos by "Svoyi. Kryvyi Rih", collage by Kateryna Lysiuk

The team reports that the attacker in the photos has previously been convicted and has gone AWOL from his army unit.

One of the attackers. Screenshot by "Svoyi. Kryvyi Rih"

Angelina Kradozhon, senior communications inspector at the Kryvyi Rih district police department, told the IMI that law enforcers have registered the fact of inflicting bodily harm. All details are currently being clarified, and the victim and witnesses are being interviewed.

Updated at 13:55

On April 25, 2024, the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting issued an order regarding the Kryvyi Rih publication "Svoyi. Kryvyi Rih" for failing to blur out a child's face in the photos featured in a news story.

Earlier, the National Council's regional representative Olena Demchenko told the IMI that the media regulator had received a complaint regarding a news story by the media outlet "Svoyi. Kryvyi Rih", which featured a photo of a child with their face unblurred.

On May 24, 2024, the National Council registered the LLC “SVOYI.KR” as an entity in the field of online media. The online media outlet's name is “Svoi.Kryvyi Rih”, identifier: R40-05140.

The legal entity “Svoyi KR”, namely an NGO and a limited liability company, were officially registered in October 2021. The LLC was founded by Yulia Mironova, with Yuriy Sutula as the the authorized person (manager); the NGO was founded by Archil Svanidze and Oleksiy Taimurzin.