Matilde Kimer to leave DR after 21 years

Matilde Kimer, DR’s long-serving Russia and Ukraine correspondent, will leave the broadcaster this autumn after more than 21 years, she has announced.

Kimer, who began as a DR intern in 2005, said she felt it was time to try something new. “I’ve spent my entire career here, so it seemed like a good moment to see if my wings can carry me,” she told DR.

She does not yet have concrete plans but will continue working in her field. “I love portraying the people and the great historical currents in Eastern Europe,” she said. She hopes to pursue long-form reportage, possibly through documentaries or books.

Kimer, who has lived in both Russia and Ukraine, has covered pivotal moments, including the 2014 Maidan protests in Kyiv, where over 100 demonstrators and at least 10 police officers were killed. “That morning on Maidan, when everything exploded—it’s something that has stayed with me,” she said.

She acknowledged past tensions with DR editors over coverage priorities, particularly in 2014–2015, when Denmark officially referred to the conflict in Donetsk and Luhansk as an “armed conflict” rather than a war. “There were times when I felt the urgency wasn’t fully recognised,” she said. Today, with Ukraine’s war closer to Denmark, she noted a shift: “It feels much more like a shared concern now.”

Before her departure, Kimer will return to Ukraine for one final assignment. Niels Kvale, DR’s foreign editor, praised her as “an outstanding correspondent who has set a high standard.” He added: “I understand her decision. The job is demanding, and it must make sense every day.”