Ukrainian War Medic Olena Sharhovska Dies at 46

Olena "Jane" Sharhovska, a Ukrainian medic and former journalist, has died at the age of 46. Yana Zinkevych, commander of the Hospitallers medical battalion, announced the news alongside her former colleagues at the media outlet Novynarnia.

Sharhovska spent the 25 months of her military service in the field. She joined the armed forces on her birthday, September 10, 2022, after recovering from an injury that had delayed her return from Portugal following Russia's full-scale invasion. She served with the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with deployments in Bakhmut, Toretsk, and Kharkiv Oblast. Her duties included evacuating wounded soldiers from active combat zones and training other service members in tactical medicine. She was discharged for health reasons in August 2024.

Prior to her military enlistment, Sharhovska had a long career in media. She worked as a journalist, translator, editor, and social media specialist for television and print publications. She also contributed to projects for Ukraїner and Osvitoria. Her path to medicine began in 2015 when she volunteered with the First Volunteer Mobile Hospital named after Mykola Pyrohov. She later joined the Hospitallers. Zinkevych described Sharhovska's work on the front lines, stating that she mastered tactical medicine and evacuated wounded soldiers from the hottest sections of the battlefield to stabilisation points.

Sharhovska was also active in advocacy for women in the military. As a co-organiser of the Invisible Battalion March in Kyiv in 2016, she helped campaign for women to serve in the Armed Forces on equal terms with men. A member of the Women's Veteran Movement, she continued to push for proper equipment for female defenders during her service.

Novynarnia described Sharhovska as a person who maintained a deep interest in the world and in people despite the difficulties of war. The outlet noted that she continued to support fellow soldiers through fundraising efforts and by purchasing vehicles for the front. Her personal motto, according to the outlet, was to do what she believed needed to be done, and then accept whatever followed.

Bohdan Lohvynenko, a serviceman, journalist, and founder of Ukraїner, also paid tribute to her. Lohvynenko recalled living in neighbouring buildings in Vynohradar and discussing editorial matters in one of their kitchens. He described her as a major source of support and a driving force behind many projects, while noting that she remained strict toward the unknown.

Sharhovska's death was confirmed by multiple sources in the Ukrainian media and military community. Her former colleagues at Novynarnia and the Hospitallers battalion leadership shared the announcement on social media platforms on October 24, 2026.