Alona Sonko

Translator, Editor | NV English

Alona is a journalist, editor, and translator with experience working in Ukrainian media, advertising, and PR agencies.

She completed a journalistic internship at the TV channels 1+1 and Ukraina. She has academic training in journalism: she wrote a research paper for the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and received multiple awards.

She worked as an editor-translator at the Adsapience advertising agency, where she was responsible for adapting text, video, and audio materials into English, as well as a copywriter at Trembita PR Agency, where she prepared press releases, news, and analytical materials for the media


Ukraine honored /
EU Commission raises Ukrainian flag ahead of Independence Day

The European Commission raised the Ukrainian flag in Brussels ahead of Ukraine's Independence Day on Aug. 24, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Aug. 22.
22 August, 10:16 AM 121
Nation

Overnight assault /
Russia targets Kyiv, Odesa oblasts with missiles and 210 drones

Russian forces attacked Ukraine overnight, using several missiles and 217 drones of various types, Ukraine's Air Force said on Aug. 22.
22 August, 09:55 AM 177
Russian war

Defense tech push /
Why is Fedorov going to U.S., and will he meet Musk?

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov plans to visit the U.S. to raise funds for new defense technology projects, including an investment fund, but has no meeting planned with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Reuters reported on Aug. 21.
21 August, 07:16 PM 354
Nation

Rescue under fire /
Ukrainian marines rescue wounded soldier with ground robot

Ukrainian troops evacuated a wounded comrade 26 kilometers from the front line using a Rys-Pro unmanned ground vehicle, the 40th Marine Brigade and the Ukrainian Navy said on Aug. 21.
21 August, 07:07 PM 181
Russian war

Court ruling /
Court detains Yelizarov and Mykytas in Forrest Gump case

Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court imposed pretrial measures on Valentyn Yelizarov and former lawmaker Maksym Mykytas, suspects in the Forrest Gump case, Transparency International Ukraine and Suspilne reported on Aug. 21.
21 August, 06:59 PM 262
Nation

Strike damage /
Kellogg visits Odesa Sea Port and inspects Russian strike damage

Keith Kellogg, former special envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump, arrived in Ukraine and visited the Odesa Sea Port, Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry said on Aug. 21.
21 August, 06:39 PM 130
Nation

Danish refusal /
Denmark refused to help Germany in Nord Stream probe

Denmark refused to assist Germany with parts of its investigation into the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions, Danish broadcaster DR reported, citing a German indictment in the case on Aug. 21.
21 August, 06:16 PM 146
Nation

Defense innovation /
Ukraine unveils first jet-powered drone interceptor

Ukraine's Defense Forces have added Alexa Spatium, the country's first domestically produced jet-powered drone interceptor, to their arsenal, the Defense Ministry said on Aug. 21.
21 August, 05:46 PM 177
Nation

Airspace breach /
Finland probes suspected airspace violation by Russian plane

A Russian aircraft violated Finnish airspace over the western Gulf of Finland, Finland's Defense Ministry said on Aug. 20.
21 August, 05:06 PM 81
Nation

Allied meeting /
Coalition of the Willing to meet on Ukraine's Independence Day

NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska will take part in a Coalition of the Willing meeting co-hosted by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO said on Aug. 21.
21 August, 04:56 PM 92
Nation

Spy operation /
Weapons cache near Berlin linked to Russian intelligence

German intelligence services found a weapons and ammunition cache in a forest near Berlin last year, raising concerns that Russian intelligence agents may have been planning attacks in Germany, Spiegel reported on Aug. 21.
21 August, 02:38 PM 135
Nation

Ruble management /
Sberbank urges 'manual control' of Russia's ruble

Russia's Sberbank has proposed changing the central bank's foreign exchange market rules to give it more flexibility in managing the ruble's exchange rate, The Moscow Times reported on Aug. 21.
21 August, 01:58 PM 185
Nation

Far-reaching strike /
Zelenskyy confirms strike on Russian refinery 1,600 km away

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck an oil refinery in Perm, the Marinovka military airfield and other Russian military facilities on Aug. 21.
21 August, 01:41 PM 118
Nation

Sanctions package /
Zelenskyy sanctions Masha and the Bear creators

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted sanctions against the creators of the Russian animated series Masha and the Bear and former Party of Regions lawmaker Yuriy Ivaniushchenko on Aug. 20.
21 August, 11:57 AM 390
Nation

Oil giant hit /
Drones attack major Lukoil refinery in Perm, smoke rises

Drones attacked Russia's Perm Krai overnight, with smoke spotted over the Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez oil refinery, Astra reported, citing an OSINT analyst on Aug. 21.
21 August, 11:45 AM 160
Nation

Funding Ukraine /
Sybiha urges talks on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that it was time to revive discussions on frozen Russian assets and establish clear legal mechanisms for using them to support Ukraine on Aug. 18.
18 August, 06:12 PM 94
Nation

Export limit /
Ukraine wants EU to raise bioethanol export quota

Ukraine plans to seek an increase in its bioethanol export quota to the European Union after nearly exhausting the current limit, Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi told NV Business on Aug. 18.
18 August, 05:56 PM 143
Business

Drone wave /
Russia claims air defenses downed more than 1,600 drones

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that its air defenses had downed more than 1,600 drones, 10 guided aerial bombs and two HIMARS rockets over the past 24 hours, according to Russian state media on Aug. 18.
18 August, 05:15 PM 85
Nation

Military deployment /
About 8,600 North Korean troops are in Russia

About 8,600 North Korean troops are currently in Russia, with four brigades formed from them operating as part of Russia's Sever group of forces, the BBC reported, citing Ukrainian military intelligence on Aug. 18.
18 August, 04:57 PM 257
Nation

Suspected scheme /
Man detained in Izium over 27 Starlink terminals for Russia

Ukrainian security services detained a man in Izium suspected of registering 27 Starlink terminals for Russian forces to coordinate assault units and launch strikes in Kharkiv Oblast, the SBU said on Aug. 18.
18 August, 03:38 PM 166
Nation