Media Freedom Rapid Response partner organisations hailed the continued courage of journalists in the country, who continue to report on the war despite serious risks and waning international attention on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The groups called on the international community to boost the protection of media professionals, pursue efforts to achieve accountability for crimes against journalists, and help rebuild media infrastructure in Ukraine.
The statement to that effect was signed by the International Press Institute (IPI), European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), ARTICLE 19 Europe, and Free Press Unlimited (FPU).
“As we mark the anniversary, our organisations honour and remember the journalists who have been killed while reporting on the war and in the line of duty. We pay our respects to these reporters, who made the ultimate sacrifice in bringing news on the war to Ukrainian and international audiences,” the statement reads.
The organisations stress that 2025 was 2025 stood out as the deadliest period for journalists in Ukraine since the first months of the full-scale invasion in February–May 2022. They cited the deaths of the French photojournalist Antoni Lallican, journalist Alyona Hubanova, and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin, who were killed in Russian drone strikes in Donetsk oblast.
“The perpetrators of these war crimes continue to act with impunity and none of those responsible have been held accountable to date,” the groups point out.
The statement also mentions the 26 Ukrainian journalists still held in Russian custody, mostly on trumped-up charges of ‘terrorism’ or ‘espionage’. Testimonies by journalists released from Russian captivity paint a picture of systematic mistreatment and torture.
“In this context, the tragic and still unexplained death of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna in Russian custody in September 2024 continues to underscore fears for the safety of other imprisoned journalists,” the statement adds.
The organisations say they continue to stand in full solidarity with journalists and media workers facing these situations.
“In the past four years, Ukrainian journalists have offered a remarkable example to their European colleagues by continuing their work in extremely challenging wartime conditions, with many losing their lives or injured while documenting the horrors of war. MFRR partners will continue to monitor, advocate and provide support to the Ukrainian media community now and in the future, as we continue to support the fight for free and independent journalism in Ukraine,” the statement reads.
The MFRR groups call on all stakeholders with diplomatic and advocacy leverage to pursue immediate and sustained efforts towards the release of the Ukrainian journalists still held behind bars. They also urge the international community to embed accountability for violations against journalists within broader justice and accountability mechanisms addressing the Russian war against Ukraine.
“With regards to the situation of media on the frontline, we call for the respect by all parties of international humanitarian law, which guarantees journalists access to zones of armed combat and offers them protection as members of the press,” the organisations note.
Finally, they call for an urgent refocusing of international support for Ukrainian media, including through funding mechanisms to rebuild critical media infrastructure destroyed across Ukraine.
According to the Institute of Mass Information, Russia committed 896 crimes against journalists and the media in Ukraine in the four years since the start of the full-scale war. The full-scale war continues to present the biggest challenge for the survival of Ukrainian media and the safety of journalists.