Journalist Reporting on Illegal Amber Mining in Ukraine Hospitalized After Beating

RFE reported on July 13 that Oleksandr Nikolaichuk, a journalist and activist, had been hospitalized in Ukraine following a beating by unknown attackers in the city of Olevsk. RFE said Nikolaichuk had, three days before the attack, attended a meeting in Zhytomyr on stopping illegal amber mining. Nikolaichuk contributed to an RFE report on the illegal practice in June, video from which is seen here.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Interior has reported that much of the amber mining trade is controlled by criminal gangs and is responsible for deforestation and environmental degradation in central Ukraine. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty