599 crimes against the media and journalists in Ukraine committed by Russia in the two years and three months of the full-scale war
Russia committed 599 crimes against journalists and the media in Ukraine in the two years and three months since the start of the full-scale invasion.
This is evidenced by the monthly monitoring "Freedom of Speech Barometer" by the Institute of Mass Information.
In April – May of 2024 IMI recorded 10 crimes against the media and journalists committed by Russia: a shelling strike on a TV tower, damage to a media office and cyber attacks.
Russia's crimes against journalists and the media in Ukraine
The Russian aggression resulted in the deaths of two media workers who were defending Ukraine from occupation in the ranks of the UAF:
- Andriy Topchiy – "Fakty" journalist, UAF soldier, rifle battalion combat medic. Killed on April 20, 2024, while performing a combat mission in Zaporizhzhia oblast, near Robotyne village. Andriy Topchiy was 38 years old.
- Alla Pushkarchuk (call sign "Ruta") – a soldier, former journalist, was killed by shelling in Donetsk oblast on April 25, 2024.
- Yuriy Siliuk – a soldier, videographer from Lutsk. Died on April 26, 2024, while performing a combat mission in Arkhangelske (Pokrovsk district, Donetsk oblast).
- Oleksandr Mashlay – a soldier who had been the chief editor for the socio-political newspaper and later magazine "Pravyi Postup" for a long time, killed in action in the Avdiivka area on May 7, 2024.
As of May 24, a total of 80 media workers have died in Ukraine as a result of Russia's aggression, with 10 dying while reporting.
Russia continues to shell TV towers. On May 6, the Russian troops shelled a TV tower in Bilopillya (Sumy oblast); the tower was damaged by the strike and is currently disabled. The previous time Russians targeted the Bilopillya TV tower was on March 9, 2022.
Furthermore, Russian shelling strike on Zolochiv (Kharkiv oblast) on April 24 destroyed the office of the "Zorya" newspaper, which is located across from the district administration building. According to the chief editor Vasyl Myroshnyk, there was no one inside at the time of the impact. Now the building has a missing roof, battered walls, and broken windows.
Russia continues to carry out cyber attacks on Ukrainian media. In April-May IMI recorded at least seven such cases. On May 9 Russian hackers targeted Ukrainian satellite broadcasting en masse, streaming the parade in Moscow instead. The attack affected the channels owned by Victor Pinchuk, as well as Dim, Espreso, Suspilne. Moreover, intense DDoS attacks were reported by Hromadske Radio and dev.ua. Both outlets believe Russia to be behind the cyber attacks.
Learn more here.
The Institute of Mass Information (IMI) is a Ukrainian public media organization that has been operating since 1996. The IMI defends the rights of journalists, analyzes the media field and covers media-related events, fights propaganda and disinformation and has been providing media outlets with safety gear for trips to the combat zone since the start of the Russo–Ukrainian war in 2014.
The IMI carries out Ukraine's only freedom of speech monitoring and keeps a list of high quality and sustainable online media outlets, documents Russia's crimes against the media committed in the course of the war on Ukraine. The IMI has representatives in 20 oblasts of Ukraine and a network of "Mediabaza" hubs to provide journalists with continuous support. The IMI's partners include Reporters Without Borders and Freedom House; the organization is a member of the International Organization for the Protection of Freedom of Expression (IFEX).
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