Anastasia [Nastia] Stanko (Ukrainian:Анастасія Романівна Станко) is a Ukrainian journalist and television hostess, a member of the "Stop censorship" movement.[1]
Born inNyzhniv,Tlumach Raion,Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast and after graduating theLviv University, Stanko worked as journalist for thePershyi andTVi. In 2013 she became one of the founders ofHromadske TV where she currently works.
On June 14, 2014 at around 12:30 pm she was detained for four hours by theRussian Border Troops when she accidentally crossed theRussia–Ukraine border in the settlement ofMilove,Luhansk Oblast (Ukraine).[2] After her detention, Stanko was handed over to the Ukrainian authorities with the request to pay a fine of 3,000 rubles and delete any photo and video materials.[3] On June 16, 2014 "Stop censorship" organized a press-conference inKharkiv to which was invited Anastasia Stanko to share her experience.[3] In her interview to ATN television broadcasting company she stated that there wasn't any border identification betweenUkraine andRussia.[3]
On June 30, 2014 Anastasia Stanko along with Illya Bezkorovainy nearStanytsia Luhanska were taken hostage by theLuhansk People's Republic, while performing their professional duties.[4] They were placed in a basement of one of building in the center ofLuhansk city.[4] While being kidnapped Stanko absolutely refused to give any interview to Russian journalists, particularly fromLifeNews. On July 2, 2014 she was supposedly released from kidnapping.
In her interview toPodrobnosti on July 6, 2014 Stanko claimed that she was kept by same people who were keepingNadiya Savchenko.[5]