Andrii Floria is a veteran, journalist, and cameraman who served at the front twice and each time returned to professional media work. His story is an example of personal transformation, the price our country pays for freedom, and extraordinary strength of spirit that allows one to see beauty in every little detail after what they have experienced. We spoke with Andrii about accessibility, inclusivity in media, and the return of media professionals to the career. Andrii’s experience serves as an illustration how the media can and should become a space for recovery, support, and professional development.
The Road to the Front: Journalist, Volunteer, Warrior
Until 2014, Andrii Floria worked as a production editor at the regional channel “Halychyna”, creating stories and reports. With the outbreak of the war, his life changed dramatically.
“I started volunteering. I went to the East with aid for the fighters and at the same time filmed reports: in one hand humanitarian support, in the other a camera for the TV channel “Halychyna”,” Andrii recalls. “The rethinking and realization happened in 2015. I had to become part of this defense, so without hesitation I decided to go to war.”
Andrii was drilled for a month at the training ground, and then ended up in Luhansk region. First, it was Lysychansk. Next, there were positions near Bakhmut. Finally, it happened to be a zero line near the village of Krymske, where he and his comrades replaced the fighters from the Aidar Battalion.
“After training and combat preparation, I found myself on the front line. I fought with my comrades 500-600 meters from the enemy,” he says.
In 2016, the soldier returned to the rear, but remained in reserve, anticipating that this was not the end and that everything would happen again. He did not even hand over his ammunition, which, according to him, “came in handy in 2022.”
After serving in the Anti-Terrorist Operation zone (ATO), he returned to his profession. He worked as a journalist on the channel “Halychyna” in Kolomyia, Then, together with his friend Yevhenii Hapych, he launched his own newspaper “Vilne Info”. Later, he was offered a job as a cameraman on the local channel “NTK”, where he still works.
Second Time at War: Trauma and Rethinking
With the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Andrii immediately went to the military registration and enlistment office. Although he was a reservist of the 24th Separate Brigade named after King Danylo, he had to wait. Only at the end of April he found out that the 24th Brigade, where he served during ATO, had suffered heavy casualties in the Kharkiv direction.
He was assigned to the newly formed 65th Separate Mechanized Brigade. After three weeks of training, the brigade was first stationed in the Vinnytsia region near the Belarusian border, and then in the Zaporizhia direction.
During his service, Andrii was wounded. Being in the cold and damp trenches also exacerbated his asthma.
The Optics of War: How the Front Changed the Frame and Perspective on Life
Andrii says that the work of a cameraman and military service have something in common – concentration, responsibility for every frame or movement, the ability to work in extreme conditions and make decisions instantly.
“My experience as a cameraman was also useful in the military profession of a sniper. In both cases, you work with optics. The cameraman looks for a cool moment and the right shot. This helped me a lot on the front line,” Andrii shares.
The strongest motivation for him to take up arms was his family. When Andrii went to the front, his wife was expecting the birth of their second daughter.
“Family is my greatest inspiration. I stood up for my children to live in peace and grow up in an independent country as free people. This is what kept me on the front line and gave me the strength to move forward. I know that many of comrades were on the same path and continue to follow it to this day,” the journalist says.
At the same time, he admits that he is reluctant to talk about the war at home. This topic is closed. Even his wife does not know everything he had to go through. His family learns about his combat experience mainly from interviews or posts on social networks. After the first rotation in 2016, Andrii experienced severe psychological trauma.
“My psyche was completely destroyed. I couldn’t stand loud noises, hid under the sofa, was on duty at night, and sometimes I shot. It took me more than a year to return to a more or less normal life,” he recalls.
Returning from the front was somewhat easier in 2023. There was already experience, support, and understanding of what to expect. But even then, the first six months were difficult: nightmares, disturbing memories, and calls from comrades did not let go.
It was during this period that his approach to the profession changed. Returning to filming, Andrii admits that he sees the world differently – deeper, more attentive and emotional.
“I have a completely different vision. It’s like I’ve opened my eyes to the world in a new way. It’s like a new level of perception. I used to take 20 shots, and now I take 50. I want to capture and show everything, and not miss anything,” the veteran says.
Media and Veterans: Not Enough Attention
After returning from the war, the team, acquaintances, relatives and friends greet the veterans sincerely and joyfully. But over time, this support weakens. Life returns to normal, and those who have gone through the hell of war are left alone with their challenges.
The media talk a lot about heroism on the front lines, and rightly so. But veterans who have come back with physical or psychological injuries are rarely mentioned. More often than not, they only talk about success stories or implemented grants.
“This is crucial. But there are many veterans who cannot or do not want to go this way. And they are simply forgotten. We are remembered when it is convenient. But we are there and deserve more.”
The military also has shared his thoughts on how the lives of his comrades change after returning. Families break up, employers refuse due to disability, and they have to fight bureaucracy to get prosthetics or benefits. Unfortunately, such stories are not isolated incidents, and there are more of them every day.
In addition to the lack of attention, veterans face very practical barriers – physical ones. Andrii also talks about accessibility. Before the full-scale war, there were fewer people with injuries, amputations, and vision loss. Now the number of such Ukrainians is growing. And each of them has the right to a decent, comfortable, and safe environment.
“I travel a lot, shoot news stories, in particular, about inclusion, and see what it really looks like. I speak about ramps at a 90-degree angle that no one can drive, high steps that are difficult to climb even for a healthy person, and even more so with a prosthesis. Tactile tiles and Braille signs can only be seen in certain cities. And these are just a few examples,” Andrii says.
Photography Ethics: Respect for People
The TV channel “NTK”, where Andrii works, has clear ethical rules for creating materials about veterans, in particular those who were injured. He emphasizes that before filming a story about a person who has returned from war, it is imperative to obtain their consent. This is a matter not only of professional ethics, but also of human dignity.
“If a veteran agrees to an interview, it doesn’t mean that he is ready to be in the frame. Some ask to be filmed from the back, in a darkened room, or only in fragments. And this is absolutely normal – you need to respect the boundaries of a person,” Andrii says.
Return to Life: Work, Volunteering, Optimism
Andrii Floria has gone through the hottest spots of the war, but he has retained his optimism, zest for life, and desire to be useful. Today, he works, volunteers, raises money for cars for his comrades, and supports those who are still on front lines.
“If you’re not there anymore, then you have to do something here. I love life. As long as I can see and as long as I can I’m moving forward,” Andrii smiles.
For him, work and support from loved ones are the best rehabilitation. Dreams are also important: to travel, shoot streams about small Ukrainian towns, and show how beautiful our country is.
His story illustrates how important it is to create a barrier-free environment in which a veteran can live fully, work, dream, and inspire.
Thank you for the sincere and frank conversation.
