The first murder of a journalist in Independent Ukraine? Remembering Vadym Boyko, who died at 30.

Today, on the birthday of the journalist and member of the Ukrainian parliament, Vadym Boyko, who died at the age of 30, he would have turned 62 years old. We remember his life path, achievements in journalism, and the circumstances of his death that arouse public resonance.

Vadym Boyko was born in Svitlovodsk, Kirovohrad region, where he graduated from school with a gold medal. He then entered the Faculty of Journalism at Taras Shevchenko Kyiv State University, which he successfully graduated with honors in 1984.

Boyko began his journalism career as the editor of the youth studio «Hart» on Ukrainian television. This project symbolized progressive ideas, but due to government pressure, it was often moved to a later broadcast Time.

Nonetheless, the «Hart» broadcasts were popular, and host Vadym Boyko gained a reputation as a talented journalist. He created renowned stories about the Holodomor, the reburial of Vasyl Stus, and the Chornobyl tragedy. His materials were published in Ukrainian and foreign publications.

Boyko was an example of freedom of speech and bravely covered all topics, including the development of Ukrainian television and the discovery of the CPSU's gold reserves and the lost library of Yaroslav the Wise.

On February 14, 1992, Vadym Boyko suddenly died. President Leonid Kravchuk stated that the journalist died from a television explosion in a dormitory. The case was opened several times but was each time closed as an accident. Eventually, the case was permanently closed.

The prosecutor's office reported that a television exploded in the deceased's apartment, causing a fire. However, a forensic examination showed that Boyko was already dead before the fire started - there was no smoke in the corpse's lungs. Later, a gasoline container, which could have caused the fire, was found, but the mysterious disappearance of gasoline in the apartment remained unsolved.

Boyko's friends and colleagues claimed that he was investigating military property and arms trade, which put him at risk. He even wore a bulletproof vest. Boyko's death likely made him the first journalist to die in independent Ukraine. His name is included in the list of deceased journalists on a memorial plaque in Kyiv. Vadym Boyko was posthumously awarded the Order of the Lithuanian Republic for his reports on events in Lithuania.

Streets in Kremenchuk and Svitlovodsk are named after the journalist, where commemorative signs are installed. In addition, a regional award and an All-Ukrainian competition for young journalists in memory of Vadym Boyko were established.