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.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.