Sharhovska died at 46 after 25 months rescuing Ukrainian soldiers from the front

Olena "Jane" Sharhovska, a combat medic and former journalist, has died at age 46. She served for 25 months with the International Legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine before being discharged in August 2024 for health reasons. Yana Zinkevych, commander of the Hospitallers medical battalion, confirmed the death. Former colleagues at the media outlet Novynarnia also announced the news.

Sharhovska enlisted in the military on September 10, 2022, her 46th birthday. At that time, she was living in Portugal and recovering from an injury. She supported Ukraine as a volunteer from abroad before officially joining the forces. Her military service included deployments to Bakhmut, Toretsk, and Kharkiv Oblast. In these sectors, she performed medical evacuations and trained other service members in tactical medicine.

Before her military service, Sharhovska worked as a journalist, translator, editor, and social media specialist. Her career included roles in television and print media. She contributed to projects for Ukraїner and Osvitoria. Since 2015, she volunteered on the front line with the First Volunteer Mobile Hospital named after Mykola Pyrohov before joining the Hospitallers.

Zinkevych described Sharhovska's field work in a statement. "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." Sharhovska also campaigned for gender equality in the military. She co-organized the Invisible Battalion March in Kyiv in 2016, which urged authorities to open previously male-only positions to women.

As a member of the Women's Veteran Movement, Sharhovska advocated for proper equipment for female defenders. Novynarnia described her as a person who maintained a deep interest in the world and in people despite the difficulties she faced. The outlet noted that she continued to help fellow soldiers through fundraising and purchased vehicles for the front. Her motto was: "Do what you believe needs to be done, and then come what may."

Bohdan Lohvynenko, founder of Ukraїner and a fellow journalist, recalled their time living in neighboring buildings in Vynohradar. He said they often discussed editorial matters in their kitchens. Lohvynenko described her as an enormous source of support and a driving force behind many processes. He added that she remained quite harsh toward the unknown.

Sharhovska’s death marks the end of a career that spanned media and frontline medicine. She left her post in August 2024, having completed her 25 months of active duty. Her former colleagues and military commanders have paid tribute to her work in evacuating the wounded and advocating for women in the armed forces.