CPJ ‘deeply disturbed’ by Russian shelling of Ukraine television tower
New York, March 1, 2022 – In response to media reports that Russian military forces shelled a television tower in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, on Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “We are deeply disturbed by the Russian military’s attack on television infrastructure in Kyiv, which threatens to deprive Ukrainians…
The view from Ukraine, through the eyes of local journalists
Updated March 8, 2022 More than two million Ukrainians have fled as Russia continues missile and artillery attacks on Ukraine’s cities. At least one Ukrainian journalist has been killed in the fighting, as the Ukrainian media reports amid rockets, misinformation, and the threat of online attacks. CPJ rounded up some of the most poignant commentary…
CPJ calls for protection of journalists in Ukraine
New York, February 24, 2022 – As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine escalates into a full-scale attack, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) calls for the protection of Ukrainian journalists, along with the international reporters and media workers who join them in covering the conflict. “At this critical moment, it is crucial that all parties involved…
CPJ’s Gulnoza Said on fears for journalists as Russia invades Ukraine
After threatening to do so for months, Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a move that U.S. President Joe Biden called “a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.” Now, Ukraine is bracing for full-scale conflict. Below, Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator,…
Russian court in Crimea sentences RFE/RL journalist Vladislav Yesypenko to 6 years in prison
New York, February 17, 2022 – Russian authorities in Crimea should not contest journalist Vladislav Yesypenko’s appeal and should release him immediately and cease prosecuting members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Wednesday, February 16, a court in Simferopol, the capital of Russian-occupied Crimea, convicted Yesypenko, a…
Ukrainian journalist Yaroslav Bondarenko threatened by businessman’s bodyguards, footage deleted
Paris, February 17, 2022 — Ukrainian authorities should thoroughly investigate the recent harassment of journalist Yaroslav Bondarenko and ensure that members of the media can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On the afternoon of Sunday, February 13, a group of five men approached Bondarenko, a camera operator for the independent newspaper…
Helmets and body armor: How Ukraine’s press corps is prepping for possible war
As world leaders launch diplomatic offensives to try to stave off a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian journalists are preparing to cover a conflict that could take a catastrophic toll on their country. Russia’s amassing of troops at its neighbor’s eastern border follows its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula in 2014 — a…
Ukraine editor Olga Rudenko on starting Kyiv Independent as Russia amasses troops on border
Olga Rudenko was half a world away from Ukraine on the day that Ukrainian construction tycoon Adnan Kivan abruptly fired the entire staff of the Kyiv Post, the 26-year-old English-language print-to-digital publication known for its tough-minded, corruption-exposing journalism. Rudenko, then deputy chief editor of the Post and in the United States on a fellowship at…
Ukrainian investigative journalist Pavlo Biletskiy’s cars destroyed in alleged arson attack
Vilnius, Lithuania, December 9, 2021 — Ukrainian authorities should thoroughly investigate the alleged arson attack on investigative journalist Pavlo Biletskiy and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In the early morning hours of December 5, unknown individuals burned two cars that belonged to Biletskiy, chief editor of independent news agency…
Ukrainian state bank personnel seize journalists’ equipment, delete footage
Vilnius, Lithuania, October 5, 2021 — Ukrainian authorities should conduct a thorough investigation into an assault on two journalists working for investigative project Skhemy and ensure that all journalists can operate in a safe environment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, security personnel of state-owned bank Ukreksimbank forcibly seized recording equipment from journalists of…