116 killed, 26 journalists captured since Russia's full-scale invasion began, Culture Ministry reports
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, 116 journalists have been killed and 26 remain in captivity, Ukraine’s Culture Ministry said on Nov. 3, marking the Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.
From the outset of the war in Ukraine, Russian forces have killed and captured journalists, violating international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
The total of 116 journalists killed also includes those who joined the military after the invasion began. Eighteen journalists have died while carrying out their professional duties, according to the Culture Ministry.
Ukraine's National Committee for Cooperation with UNESCO condemned the illegal detentions, torture, and killings of journalists, as well as disinformation campaigns, harassment, and gender-based violence in cyberspace, such as online harassment, cyberbullying, and data breaches, targeting Ukrainian journalists.
The committee urged the international community to pay attention to "Russia's systemic crimes against Ukrainian media workers."
Ukraine has called for an end to the persecution of journalists, the release of all imprisoned media workers, and the creation of an international mechanism to hold perpetrators accountable while condemning attempts to "legitimize state propaganda as journalism."
A recent Russian drone attack killed Freedom TV journalist Olena Hramova and cameraman Yevhen Karmazin on Oct. 23 in the city of Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast.
Russia had committed 848 crimes against journalists and media in Ukraine over the three and a half years of the full-scale invasion, the Institute of Mass Information reported on Oct. 7.
Yuliia Taradiuk
