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


'Very symbolic' /
How Zelenskyy was given puppy Freya

American boxer Terence Crawford met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his Aug. 25 visit to Ukraine and gave him a puppy named Freya.
28 August, 06:41 PM 410
Life

No agreement /
Budanov tried to reach deal with Russia on strikes

Ukrainian presidential office chief Kyrylo Budanov said he had personally tried to reach an agreement with Russia to halt long-range strikes by both sides, speaking at the Ukraine Tomorrow international forum on Aug. 28.
28 August, 06:29 PM 1114
Nation

Among top debtors /
Ukraine ranks among world's 40 largest public debtors

Ukraine's public debt is estimated at about $276 billion, or 122.6% of projected GDP in 2026, according to the International Monetary Fund on Aug. 28.
28 August, 05:37 PM 242
Business

SBU strike impact /
How many Tu-95 bombers does Russia have left after Engels attack?

Russia has about 37 Tu-95MS and Tu-95MSM bombers remaining after another aircraft was struck in Engels overnight Friday, Defense Express reported on Aug. 28.
28 August, 05:12 PM 1521
Nation

'Beyond repair' /
Satellite images show alleged Tu-95MS damage

Satellite images posted online appear to show a Russian Tu-95MS bomber damaged at the Engels-2 air base overnight, according to Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ on Aug. 28.
28 August, 03:53 PM 444
Nation

Situation difficult /
56 Ukrainians still out of contact after Nepal floods

Fifty-six Ukrainians remain out of contact after floods and landslides in Nepal and Tibet, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry told NV, adding that the number remained unchanged as of noon Kyiv time on Aug. 28.
28 August, 02:04 PM 156
Nation

'Ignoring invitation' /
Fedorov warned of consequences for missing meeting

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has not responded to an invitation to a parliamentary investigative commission meeting Monday, commission head and lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko said on Aug. 28.
28 August, 01:57 PM 182
Nation

Two days under fire /
38 Russian attacks hit Kyiv Oblast, damage dozens of buildings

Russian forces attacked Ukraine's Kyiv Oblast with drones for a second straight day, killing one person in Bucha district and damaging dozens of homes and warehouses, regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said on Aug. 28.
28 August, 01:23 PM 161
Russian war

'She has a superpower' /
Mahuchikh congratulates Herashchenko on Diamond League silver

Olympic high jump champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh commented on Iryna Herashchenko's second-place finish at the 2026 Diamond League meet in Zurich, Switzerland.
28 August, 11:37 AM 175
Life

Arson attempt /
Two Latvians and Ukrainian suspected in Slovakia drone plant plot

Two Latvian citizens and a Ukrainian were detained on suspicion of attempting to set fire to a Slovak factory operated by Ukrainian drone maker Skyeton, Reuters reported on Aug. 28.
28 August, 10:38 AM 87
Nation

Plot disrupted /
SBU and National Police foil plot to kill defense company chief

Ukraine's Security Service and National Police said they had thwarted a terrorist attack planned by Russian intelligence services in Kyiv Oblast through preemptive action on Aug. 26.
26 August, 07:37 PM 155
Nation

Readiness check /
Lukashenko orders military check after CIA Chief's Moscow visit

Alexander Lukashenko ordered a combat readiness inspection of the country's armed forces on Wednesday, Belarusian Security Council Secretary Alexander Volfovich said, according to the Defense Ministry on Aug. 26.
26 August, 07:05 PM 535
Nation

Doctoral path /
Syrskyi enrolls in Defense University doctoral program

Former Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has enrolled in a doctoral program at the National Defense University of Ukraine, Hromadske reported, citing a source close to him on Aug. 26.
26 August, 06:39 PM 222
Nation

Peace efforts /
Zelenskyy says Ukraine in 'detailed work' with U.S. after CIA visit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv is "working" with the United States following CIA Director John Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow on Aug. 26.
26 August, 06:21 PM 386
Nation

Russia-Japan rift /
Russia threatens Japan over Kurils, invokes nuclear weapons

Russia publicly threatened Japan over the territorial dispute involving the Kuril Islands, again invoking its nuclear arsenal, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said, according to Russian state media on Aug. 26.
26 August, 05:57 PM 318
Nation

Abrupt reversal /
Kanye West's St. Petersburg concerts abruptly canceled

American rapper and Putin supporter Kanye West's planned October concerts in St. Petersburg were abruptly canceled, with organizers citing the lack of an agreement with the stadium set to host the shows on Aug. 26.
26 August, 02:56 PM 386
Life

Unresolved issues /
Nawrocki raises 'tense issues' in letter to Zelenskyy

Polish President Karol Nawrocki sent Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy an Independence Day letter that addressed tensions between the two countries over historical issues, presidential aide Marcin Przydacz told RMF24 on Aug. 26.
26 August, 02:12 PM 98
Nation

Spy convicted /
Russian spy sentenced to four years in prison in Estonia

Harju County Court in Estonia sentenced Nikita Kuzmin, a dual Estonian-Russian citizen, to four years in prison for spying for Russia, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on Aug. 26.
26 August, 01:04 PM 123
Nation

'Dual strategy' /
ISW explains why Russia is striking Ukraine-Moldova border

Russian forces intensified strikes on Ukrainian and Moldovan border infrastructure in August to disrupt Ukraine's overland export routes and create an "atmosphere of instability" at border crossings, ISW said on Aug. 26.
26 August, 11:25 AM 242
Nation

Another plant strike /
Ukraine strikes Russian rocket fuel plant again

Ukrainian forces carried out a second strike on the Kombinat Kamensky plant in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Russia's Rostov Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff said on Aug. 24.
24 August, 09:10 PM 273
Nation