Russia’s war on media: over 760 attacks on journalists since invasion

Source: Institute for Mass Information

Since the full-scale invasion began in February,2024,  Russian troops have carried out 762 documented crimes against journalists and media outlets, according to the Institute for Mass Information (IMI).

The war also made at least 329 Ukrainian media outlets shut down their operations, and only 52 of them have managed to reopen.

Over October and November, Russia ramped up its attacks on the media workers. Here’s a look at some of the latest incidents:

• Drone Strikes on Broadcasting: Russian drones struck a TV tower in Lozova, Kharkiv region, disrupting national broadcasting services.
• Media Closures: In Dnipro, the media holding “Vidkrytyi” suspended operations, saying they will resume only after the war is over.
• Targeting Foreign Journalists: Russian authorities issued an arrest warrant for Romanian journalist Mircea Barbu, accusing him of illegal border crossing and filming in Russia’s Kursk region.
• Cyber Assaults: Russian-linked hackers launched attacks on such outlets as Detector Media and Zaporizhzhia-based inform.zp.ua. Both organizations regularly report on Russian war crimes.

The conflict has also claimed the lives of 91 media professionals in Ukraine, with 12 killed while reporting from the frontlines.

On October 18, Ukrainian serviceman, journalist, and human rights defender Maksym Butkevych returned to Ukraine as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia. He became the second Ukrainian journalist freed from Russian captivity in 2024.