Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ostap Yarysh, a Ukrainian correspondent at Voice of America (VoA), was dismissed on March 7, reportedly following an inspection by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
DOGE is an unofficial cost-cutting group that U.S. President Donald Trump has granted broad authority to reduce government spending and dismiss employees. DOGE's head, U.S. billionaire Elon Musk, has previously called for the shutdown of U.S.-funded media outlets Radio Free Europe and Voice of America.
Yarysh joined the VOA's Ukrainian service in 2019, covering Donald Trump's impeachment, the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 presidential election, and its aftermath. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, he has reported on U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
"Word gets around quickly. My friends and family found out before I could even tell them," Yarysh wrote on social media on March 7. "In short, yes—I’ve ended (my) cooperation with Voice of America. I’ll share more details later," he added.
Head of Detector Media Nataliia Ligachova said on March 7 that Yarysh was dismissed from the Voice of America during a DOGE inspection.
On Feb. 9 Musk called for publically funded media to be "shut down." "It’s just radical left crazy people talking to themselves while torching $1B/year of U.S. taxpayer money," Musk said.
The New York Times reported on Feb. 28 that the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VoA, launched an investigation into journalists who had spoken out against President Donald Trump’s policies.
As part of the probe, senior VoA journalist Steve Herman was placed on extended leave. He told the New York Times that he had received a letter saying the investigation was examining whether his "social media activity has undermined VoA’s audiences’ perceptions of the objectivity and/or credibility of VoA and its news operations."
Additionally, anonymous sources told the New York Times that in recent months, VoA had either toned down or entirely withheld coverage that was critical of Trump and his administration.
Mariam Nikuradze
(Updated: )
