The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) are deeply shocked by the deadly Russian missile attack in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on 24 August 2024. The attack claimed the life of Reuters media worker Ryan Evans and left another six people injured. The federations join their affiliate in Ukraine, the National Union of Journalists (NUJU) and the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU), in expressing their sincere condolences to the family of Ryan Evans and their full solidarity with the injured journalists and all media workers who work under daily threats to report on the Russo-Ukrainian…

At least thirty Ukrainian journalists, -6 women and 24 men-, and media workers remain illegally detained in Russia, according to data from the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), an affiliate of the International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ). The IFJ and the EFJ have joined their affiliate’s campaign in urging the Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all unfairly imprisoned Ukrainian journalists.  Nearly two and a half years after the start of the war in Ukraine, in February 2022, there is no sign that the violence will end, and the list of Ukrainian journalists in…

Two Russian journalists have been killed in separate incidents in Russia’s occupied Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Journalist of News.ru, Nikita Tsitsagi, died on 16 June, in a drone attack amidst ongoing battles. Earlier, Valery Kozhin, a cameraman of Russian state-controlled media NTV, also died after a shelling attack near Horlivka, on 13 June. The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) strongly condemn these killings and urge the authorities to conduct a swift investigation into the deaths of the journalists. According to a report from News.ru, Tsitsagi lost his life while reporting in the town of Vugledar, which was…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in highlighting ongoing press freedom concerns in Ukraine, over two years following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. While Ukraine was at first quick to unite in the face of armed aggression, setting aside internal conflicts and arguments, the climate of trust between officials and independent media seems to have seriously deteriorated, two years on. Repeated surveillance of journalists In comparison to neighbouring Russia and Belarus, Ukraine has long been a haven for independent media, offering local journalists the opportunity to criticise power without fear of…

On 4 and 5 April, Russian drone strikes hit respectively the Ukrainian regions of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia injuring at least four journalists, with some ending at the hospital in serious and worrying health conditions. The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) together with their affiliates the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU) call for Russian authorities to put an end to these attacks, that endanger the safety not only of civilians but also of journalists engaged in the performance of their duties. On 4 April, Russian drone strikes hit…

To mark the two years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) conversed with Serhiy Shturkhetskyy, chairperson of the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU) to examine how the reality of Ukrainian journalists have changed and what the journalistic community and sister unions can do to continue supporting journalists on the ground. How is the situation on the ground and how do you feel? The situation remains dire. With a devastated economy, cities raised to the ground and occupied, families divided, constant rocket and drone attacks, there is no place in…

As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, Sergiy Tomilenko, president of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and EFJ Steering Committee member reflects on two years of unwavering work and relentless determination to support journalists and media workers on the ground, with the help of international partners such as the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and UNESCO. On 24 February, it will be two years since the war in Ukraine started and Tomilenko recalls the imperative need to raise more funds in a war that rages on, despite vanishing from the…

Ukrainian investigative journalist Yurii Nikolov said on Monday that he received a visit from unidentified people threatening him. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its affiliates in Ukraine, NUJU and IMTUU, call on the Ukrainian authorities to identify the perpetrators of the threats and ensure the protection of the journalist. Nikolov is a co-founder and an editor of the Nashi Groshi investigative media project. He is well known for his investigations exposing corruption in Ukraine’s public procurement, including the Defense Ministry. Nikolov’s investigations into inflated prices for food supplies and low-quality winter jackets for the military prompted the ousting…

On the evening of 10 January, a Russian missile attack damaged the Park Hotel in Kharkiv, injuring Anadolu’s reporter Davit Kachkachishvili, photojournalist Özge Elif Kızıl, and Ukrainian fixer Violetta-Anastasia Pedorych. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) strongly condemn the attack and demand that journalists should be treated and protected as civilians. Anadolu reporter Davit Kachkachishvili and photojournalist Özge Elif Kızıl, who were on duty at the Park Hotel at the time of the attack, were able to leave the hotel with minor injuries, Anadolureports. A hotel where Anadolu reporters covering war in Ukraine are staying targeted by missiles…

Russia launched two massive attacks in Ukraine between 29 December 2023 and 2 January 2024, which injured three journalists and damaged four newsrooms. The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) condemned the attacks in the strongest terms and expressed solidarity with the media workers targeted. On 30 December 2023, two employees working for the German TV channel ZDF were injured by the shelling of the Kharkiv Palace Hotel which was mostly occupied by media workers at that moment. As a result, a security guard of foreign nationality who was working as a security advisor to ZDF, had to undergo…

The results of a survey from the  National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), “Frontline Local Media Report”, shed light on the difficulties encountered by print local media outlets in the country since February 2022. The report aims to help media outlets in need to restart their journalistic work for public interest. A total of 30 local newspapers were surveyed about their journalistic work in times of Russian occupation and the restart of newsroom work after the liberation of the occupied territories.  The survey found that the average length of forced stoppage due to the Russian occupation was six months. …

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) together with the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) invite you to the opening of the photo exhibition ‘Ukraine: Journalists in war zones’, which will be held on 17 October at the Ukrainian Civil Society Hub in Brussels.  The exhibition aims to draw the attention of the international community to the work of journalists during the war, their working conditions and the actions of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine in support of the Ukrainian and international media on the front line. The event will also mark the crucial international journalistic solidarity…

From the 16th to the 20th of September 2023, member of the EFJ Steering Committee Anna Del Freo travelled to Ukraine. She accepted the invitation of Sergiy Tomilenko, another member of the EFJ Steering Committee and president of the National Union of Journalist of Ukraine (NUJU). She went to the country, invaded by Russia, together with Anteas Alessandria, an Italian association of volunteers that already promoted several projects to help Ukraine’s population. Thanks to the support of the association, Anna Del Freo was able to visit her colleagues, who live and work in a country at war. She also conveyed…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned journalists, press freedom organisations, and unions, in denouncing the war crimes committed by the Russian Federation against journalists in Ukraine and calling for immediate action to hold the perpetrators accountable. Deliberately targeting journalists, shelling their facilities, and engaging in arbitrary detentions and torture clearly violate international humanitarian law and press freedom. We urge authorities to take decisive steps to address these grave violations and provide increased support for front-line reporters.  We are alarmed at the continued targeting of media workers in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The recent missile attack in Pokrovsk is…

On 7 August, Russian missile strikes damaged a hotel, which is popular among journalists covering the war, in the city of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, in Ukraine. It is the second time in recent weeks that facilities used by media workers have been hit by Russian fire in Ukrainian cities. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) condemn the attack in the strongest terms and remind the Russian authorities that journalists and media workers operating in areas of armed conflict must be treated and protected as civilians and allowed to perform their work without interference. Russian strikes…

RIA journalist Rostislav Zhuravlev was reportedly killed and three other journalists were injured during a Ukrainian attack in the Zaporizhzhia occupied region of Ukraine on 22 July. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) join their Russian affiliate the Journalists and Media Workers’ Union (JMWU) in calling for a swift investigation into Zhuravlev’s death. Rostislav Zhuravlev, a war correspondent working for the Russian state agency RIA Novosti, was hit in a Ukrainian strike in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian military announced on 22 July. Rostislav Zhuravlev died from his wounds during his evacuation to medical facilities, the military said. RIA also…