Mykhailo Tkach, chief investigative journalist at Ukrainska Pravda, received the international Free Media Awards 2026 in Oslo, Norway, on 29 September, for “fearless and consistent investigative journalism in wartime,” Ukrainska Pravda reports.
The award ceremony took place at the Munch Museum. The Norwegian foundation Fritt Ord and the German ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS present the award annually to support independent media and journalists in Eastern and Central Europe who work to defend freedom of expression.
The Awards recognised Tkach for his investigations into corruption, abuses of office, defence procurement, and the lavish lifestyles of Ukrainian officials abroad, as well as for his work exposing Russia’s covert influence operations in the West. The Fritt Ord Foundation stressed that his work demonstrates that investigative journalism is “not only possible, but absolutely necessary” in wartime.
In his speech, the journalist mentioned his colleague Viktoria Roshchyna, who died in Russian custody, as well as all other journalists who have been killed, wounded, imprisoned, or have enlisted in the Ukrainian Defence Forces.
“Ukrainian journalists are not sliding downhill into propaganda, and are keeping a spotlight aimed at the hallways and offices of Ukrainian state bodies. We point out mistakes, expose conspiracies serving private interests, and speak out about abuses of office so that mistakes get fixed, so that power serves the people’s interests exclusively, and so that our country grows stronger in the fight for freedom,” Mykhailo Tkach said.
The journalist remarked that his department had tracked down more than 10 former officials and MPs hiding from justice abroad over the past four years, and at least as many have resigned following their reporting.
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Tkach also reported that he held victim status in 13 criminal law proceedings concerning obstruction of his reporting, with the most recent attack on his film crew having occurred two months prior.
Earlier, The Kyiv Independent chief editor and co-founder Olha Rudenko and Ukrainska Pravda chief investigator Mykhailo Tkach received the Gongadze Prize 2026.
