Paramedic Who Fought for Women's Place in Ukraine Military Has Died
A medic and journalist who served on front lines and advocated for female soldiers passed away recently.
By Giulia Donovan ·
The death of a paramedic who spent a decade evacuating wounded soldiers while simultaneously campaigning for women to serve in the Ukrainian military on equal terms has raised questions about the toll taken on those who serve in combat and the ongoing struggle for gender equality within the armed forces. Olena Sharhovska, known as Jane, passed away, a fact announced by the commander of the Hospitallers medical battalion and her former colleagues at Novynarnia.
A look back at her life reveals a trajectory that moved from media to the front lines and back again. Before her military service, Sharhovska worked across television and print as a journalist, editor, and translator, contributing to projects for Ukraїner and Osvitoria. Her transition to medical work began in 2015 when she started volunteering on the front line with the First Volunteer Mobile Hospital named after Mykola Pyrohov before joining the Hospitallers battalion.
During her time with the Hospitallers, she was involved in active combat zones. Yana Zinkevych, commander of the Hospitallers, described her role in moving terms, stating, "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." This work extended to advocacy. Along with fellow service women, she pushed for female soldiers to be allowed into military positions previously reserved for men, serving as a co-organizer of the Invisible Battalion March in Kyiv in 2016.
When the full-scale invasion began, Sharhovska was abroad in Portugal. An injury initially prevented her immediate return, so she volunteered from overseas. However, on her birthday, September 10, 2022, she formally joined the military to serve with the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Her deployments included Bakhmut, Toretsk, and Kharkiv Oblast, where she performed evacuations and trained others in tactical medicine. As a member of the Women's Veteran Movement, she continued to push for proper equipment for female defenders. She was discharged for health reasons in August 2024.
Tributes from her former colleagues highlighted the loss to both the medical and media communities. Novynarnia remembered her as "a person of words and travel, with a deep interest in the world and in people," noting that she continued to fundraise and buy vehicles for the front even after her discharge. Her guiding principle, according to the outlet, was: "Do what you believe needs to be done, and then come what may."
Bohdan Lohvynenko, founder of Ukraїner and a serviceman, writer, and journalist, also shared memories of her character. He recalled that they lived in neighboring buildings in Vynohradar and often gathered in one of their kitchens to discuss editorial matters. He described her as an enormous source of support and a driving force behind many processes, while noting she remained quite harsh towards the unknown.
As of late October 2026, the circumstances surrounding her death have not been detailed in the announcements made by her colleagues. The focus of the tributes remains on her service history and her advocacy for women in the military. The request for equal treatment and equipment for female defenders, a cause she pursued through marches and veteran movements, remains a subject of ongoing attention.
