Attacks, threats against journalists in Ukraine surge in 2025
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Attacks and threats against journalists in Ukraine surged in 2025, with 160 cases recorded so far this year, while the total number of media workers killed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion has risen to 147, according to Ukraine’s National Union of Journalists.
The figure marks a sharp increase from the 91 media workers reported killed as of June 2024, highlighting the growing risks faced by journalists covering the war.
At least 21 of those killed died while performing their professional duties, union head Serhii Tomilenko said during a parliamentary commission meeting on April 8 focused on crimes against media workers.
Tomilenko added that 70 of the recorded incidents in 2025 involved damage to or destruction of media property or journalists’ personal equipment.
Another 28 Ukrainian journalists remain in Russian captivity, he said, noting that the figures are not final due to limited access to information about all cases of persecution.
"Any ‘Press’ marking makes a journalist a live target," Tomilenko said, urging reporters working near the front line to avoid identifying themselves with visible press labels on protective gear.
He noted the issue was discussed with representatives of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), highlighting a growing dilemma between international standards — which encourage clear identification of journalists — and the reality on the ground in Ukraine, where such markings can make journalists more likely to be targeted.
Ukraine's parliament established a temporary investigative commission on Dec. 4, 2025, to examine crimes committed by Russian forces against journalists and media workers.
Journalists covering Russia's war in Ukraine have faced constant dangers, including drone strikes, artillery fire, and abductions. Since Feb. 24, 2022, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has documented more than 175 cases of journalists subjected to abuses in connection with the war.
