Borysfen Brigade press officer killed by remote explosive in Kherson
Volodymyr Obertas, a native of occupied Oleshky who worked as a photographer and drone operator, died while assisting journalists at the front line.
By Hiroshi Sato ·
A Russian remote explosive killed Volodymyr Obertas, a press officer for Ukraine's Borysfen Brigade, in Kherson.
Obertas was from Oleshky, a city currently under Russian control. He had served in the military since the start of the full-scale invasion. On the first day of the war, he helped defenders hide weapons and facilitated their retreat from the left bank of the Dnipro River to the right bank. Before joining the 34th Separate Marine Brigade, he operated drones. He later transferred to the press service to document frontline events.
Obertas died on Tuesday while helping journalists conduct their work. Army TV, the media outlet for the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, confirmed the death. Dmytro Voronov, the former mayor of Oleshky, verified the identity of the fallen serviceman.
In civilian life, Obertas was a prominent photographer and videographer. He captured images for kindergartens, schools, weddings, and city events. Voronov noted that most residents of Oleshky knew him because of his professional skill.
"Almost everyone in Oleshky probably knew him, because it would have been hard to find a better photographer and videographer," Voronov said. "He worked in my press centre and was always cheerful and friendly. A true master of his craft, he even taught me the basics of video editing and much more." Voronov added that the two men frequently discussed camera angles and editing techniques to make videos more emotional. Locals eagerly watched Obertas' new videos on YouTube.
The death follows that of Oleksandr "Silhouette" Chyzhov, a 21-year-old student and serviceman from Kyiv Oblast, who was killed in action earlier this month. Obertas' unit continues operations in the Kherson region.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
