Wartime in Ukraine

“As a journalist and paramedic, my work in war, natural disaster, and other high-risk contexts for outlets has led to a parallel career teaching journalists and humanitarians how to stay safe. On previous trips to Ukraine, I’ve served as a safety and medical trainer. This time, I’ve come as a journalist—to observe. The first time I visited Ukraine, soon after the Russian invasion, bombed-out Russian tanks lined the highway to Kyiv and eastern cities felt like haunted ghost towns, populated by the constant, eerie wail of air alert sirens. That was a long time ago. Millions of Ukrainians have since returned home.”
—Rianna Pauline Starheim ’14
 

Read the full story by Starheim in the March/April 2026 issue.