The Institute of Mass Information recorded 11 press freedom violations in Ukraine in July 2026. Seven were committed by Russia, as evidenced by IMI’s monthly monitoring study, the Freedom of Speech Barometer.

Russia’s crimes against the media and journalists included destruction of and damage to media offices.

The death of two media worker turned UAF servicemembers was reported in July:

  • Oleksandr Vernihorov, cameraman with several Dnipro-based TV channels turned serviceman. Killed in action in Kharkiv oblast on 28 June 2026.
  • Ivan Trembovetskyi, UAF serviceman, managing editor with TET TV, 2+2 TV. Killed in action in Sumy oblast.

Media offices & property destroyed or damaged

  • The Islandiya TV studio was damaged in the Russian air strike of 2 July. A security guard was killed.
  • The editorial office of Novyny Kramatorskoho Rayonu suffered significant damage as a result of a Russian airstrike in Kramatorsk on July 5.
  • The office of the newspaper Novyny Kramatorska was also severely damaged in the 5 July air strike in Kramatorsk, Donetsk oblast.
  • The Channel 5 office in Kyiv was damaged in a Russian overnight strike on 6 July. The channel went off air.
  • The Russian attack on Sumy overnight on 17 July damaged the office and studio of the local news website Kordon.Media. The blast wave tore out the entrance door and studio door fasteners. Some plaster flaked off the walls and some things fell down.
  • The office of the Zaporizhzhia-based news outlet inform.zp.uawas damaged in a Russian strike. The shock wave broke the window grilles in the building and caused ceiling collapse in some rooms.
  • The 23 July Russian air strike in Bilopillya, Sumy oblast, affected the office of the local newspaper Bilopilshchyna, damaging the roof, the ceiling, furniture, and computer equipment.
Freedom of speech in Ukraine in July 2026

Offenses unrelated to Russia’s war in Ukraine

In July IMI recorded four press freedom violations unrelated to Russia’s war against Ukraine. These included instances of judicial pressure, obstruction of reporting, and denial of access to information. The incidents occurred in Kyiv city and oblast (2), Odesa (1), and Rivne (1). The violations were committed by private security guards, the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, the Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv, and the Rivne City Enlistment Office.

Obstruction. An Ukrainska Pravda filming crew was attacked by security guards at a resort complex in Koncha-Zaspa (Kyiv oblast) while reporting. The guards sprayed them with green dye. The police have opened an investigation into obstruction of reporting.

Denial of access to information. The Odesa OMA refused to tell Nikcenter journalists how much money from national and local budgets had been spent on fortification construction in the oblast, citing security. IMI lawyers believe the denial to be unlawful, since some of the requested information should be publicly available.

A court ban on releasing an investigation. The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv banned Slidstvo.Info and the Anti-Corruption Action Center from releasing and distributing an investigation into the real estate owned by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) director’s brother. The two organisations have called the ruling an attack on freedom of speech and are appealing it.

Judicial pressure. Chetverta Vlada chief editor Volodymyr Torbich said that the Rivne City Enlistment Office had unlawfully placed him on a wanted list for violating mobilisation law. He believes the move is linked to his reporting, and media lawyers have pointed out potential due process violations.

Read the full monitoring study here.