Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has shaken Europe and beyond. The war has led to a humanitarian catastrophe for people on the ground, and also included numerous deliberate attacks on journalists in an attempt to silence their vital reporting. During times of crisis and conflict, we rely on journalists and media workers for accurate, timely, and potentially life-saving information. However, in a cruel irony, at the same time, these moments in history are also when media workers find themselves subject to the most severe threats to their livelihood and wellbeing.
Two years have passed since the invasion began, and within that time, we have recorded the tragic deaths of at least eleven media workers who were killed in the course of their work in Ukraine. We have also registered 468 media freedom violations in the country – including physical assaults, kidnappings, verbal and legal attacks, censorship, and damage to property.
Despite those highly difficult and dangerous circumstances, many Ukrainian media workers continue their fierce fight for the truth. Below, we have listed the support we have offered to Ukrainian journalists and media workers in the past two years, and outlined how you or your colleagues can apply for similar support should you need it.
