[3] Safarov was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, and, in 1994, moved to Donetsk, Ukraine with his mother at age 8.
[2] Safarov was bullied by other children for being an immigrant and for his skin color, so he often spent time alone in public libraries or working with his father to sell products.
[1] As a child, Safarov was interested in becoming a filmmaker, but his mother encouraged him to become a journalist, because she thought it was a peaceful job.
[1] After graduating university, Safarov moved to Kyiv, where he lived in a communal apartment and interned at the OSCE.
[1] At the same time, he was working as a line producer and assistant director for the documentary A House Made of Splinters.