Ukrainians in US Give Christmas Tradition a Wartime Update

Zorislav Baydyuk

Zorislav Baydyuk is Ukrainian Service Managing Editor Independence Avenue Media, a multimedia journalist and International Broadcaster with more than 25 years of experience in television, radio, and digital media. A graduate of Kyiv State University’s Institute of Journalism, Zorislav began a journalism career as a field reporter in the second year of university, covering political, military, and human-interest stories across Ukraine. Worked at one of the first Western-style media organizations in independent Ukraine—IMC Internews “Vikna”—and contributed to shaping the country’s early modern news culture. In 2000, joined the Voice of America’s Ukrainian Service in Washington, D.C. as a radio journalist and producer, later expanding into television as a video journalist, correspondent, and anchor. Hosted VOA’s most popular Ukrainian-language weekly program Window on America, as well as Chas-Time and Studio Washington, while producing daily news coverage and long-form features. Over the years, advanced into leadership roles as team leader, supervising editor, producer, and line editor—directing editorial output, mentoring journalists, and overseeing both broadcast and digital production.