A photo exhibition highlighting the resilience of Ukrainian media professionals, titled “Courage to Report” and timed to coincide with the World Press Freedom Day, will open in Kyiv on 30 April. It will be open for viewing at Kontraktova Square until 3 May.
The exhibition is co-organised by the Institute of Mass Information (IMI), Internews International, and the Media Development Foundation (MDF), and funded by the European Union.
“Courage to Report” is dedicated to the resilience of Ukrainian journalists and media, who continue to serve their communities, document Russian crimes, fight disinformation, and provide the public with reliable information in the face of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
The event aims to raise awareness of Russia’s crimes against journalists, the role of independent media in wartime, and highlight the importance of international support for Ukraine.
The opening will take place at 12:00 on 30 April. The exhibition will be located in the pedestrian zone in front of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Exhibition partners include NGO Detector Media, the Heorhiy Gongadze Award, and the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity.
According to the Institute of Mass Information, Russia committed at least 937 crimes against journalists and the media in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion.
- No fewer than 129 media professionals have been killed by Russian forces since 2022, with 15 deceased while reporting and 14 dying as civilian casualties.
- At least 337 media outlets have shut down permanently or had to pause operations due to Russia’s aggression or its consequences.
- Russia has targeted Ukrainian media offices at least 72 times, some repeatedly. At least 64 news outlets were affected in the attacks.
- Russia keeps no fewer than 26 Ukrainian media professionals in unlawful detention, with some remaining in prison for 10 years.
The Institute of Mass Information (IMI) is a civil society organization specializing in the media, operating since 1996. IMI defends the rights of journalists, studies the media landscape and reports on media-related events, fights propaganda and disinformation, and provides media workers with safety equipment for trips to combat areas (since the start of the Russo–Ukrainian war in 2014).
IMI carries out the only monitoring study of freedom of speech in Ukraine, keeps a list of transparent and responsible online media outlets, and tracks Russia’s media crimes in the war on Ukraine. IMI has representatives in 20 oblasts of Ukraine and runs a network of Media Hubs that provide journalists with unfailing support. IMI’s partners include Reporters Without Borders (RSF); the organization is also a member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX).
