Olena Sharhovska died after evacuating wounded from Ukraine's front lines

Olena "Jane" Sharhovska died at age 46 after serving 25 months as a medic on the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine war. Yana Zinkevych, commander of the Hospitallers medical battalion, confirmed the news on Friday. Former colleagues at the Novynarnia media outlet also announced her death. Sharhovska had been a journalist, translator, and editor before joining the military.

Sharhovska first volunteered with the First Volunteer Mobile Hospital named after Mykola Pyrohov in 2015. She later joined the Hospitallers. Zinkevych described Sharhovska’s role in tactical medicine. "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. She trained other service members in these medical techniques.

The paramedic also campaigned for gender equality in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. She co-organized the Invisible Battalion March in Kyiv in 2016. Participants in that march urged authorities to open military positions to women that had previously been reserved for men. As a member of the Women's Veteran Movement, Sharhovska pushed for female defenders to receive proper equipment.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Sharhovska was living in Portugal. An injury delayed her return to Ukraine. She supported the country as a volunteer from abroad until she could rejoin. She officially enlisted in the military on September 10, 2022, which was her birthday. She served with the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Her deployments included Bakhmut, Toretsk, and Kharkiv Oblast. In addition to medical evacuations, she continued her advocacy work. She was discharged for health reasons in August 2024. Novynarnia described her as a person with a deep interest in the world and people. The outlet noted she bought vehicles for the front and helped fellow soldiers through fundraising. Her motto was to do what she believed needed to be done, and then come what may.

Bohdan Lohvynenko, founder of Ukraїner, recalled living in neighboring buildings in Vynohradar. He said they often sat in their kitchens discussing editorial matters. Lohvynenko described her as a driving force behind many processes. He noted that she remained quite harsh towards the unknown while providing enormous support to those around her.