Valeriya Ivashkina, the journalist whose name was on a cynical attempt to defame Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, has announced her resignation from Strana.ua, expressing regret that she took part in the efforts to slur Sentsov’s name. This was one of at least two attempts to sow doubts about Sentsov’s innocence since the hunger strike which Sentsov began on May 14 intensified international demands for his release. It can, unfortunately, be guaranteed that the Russian and pro-Russian media who actively pushed this and at least one other attempt to cast doubt about Sentsov’s innocence will go silent on this development.
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Halya Coynash: Journalist resigns from Strana.ua over overt attempt to slur Sentsov
Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov at the "White Bear" colony in Russia's Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug on August 9, 2018.
The 42-year-old Sentsov is serving a 20-year sentence in the far north of Russia after being convicted three years ago of arson attacks in his native Crimea following its annexation by Moscow.
