On Press Freedom Day, Kyiv Independent launches collection to fund drone detectors for Ukrainian journalists
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On April 21, the Kyiv Independent launches a new merchandise collection, "No News is Bad News," dedicated to protecting journalists covering Russia’s war against Ukraine.
From April 21 through May 5, 100% of the profits of this collection will support the purchase of drone detectors for front-line reporters through the Institute of Mass Information (IMI).
The Institute of Mass Information (IMI), founded in 1996, is a Ukrainian media NGO that defends journalists’ rights, monitors the media landscape, counters disinformation, and provides safety support to reporters in high-risk environments. Since 2022, the organization has documented over 900 crimes against journalists in Ukraine, with 128 media workers killed and at least 26 held in captivity. Since 2014, it has also delivered protective equipment to journalists more than 12,000 times.
The collection features a graphic t-shirt and a softcover notebook, and is available on the Kyiv Independent store.
The campaign is timed to coincide with World Press Freedom Day, established by the United Nations in 1993 to highlight the importance of a free press and the safety of journalists worldwide.
The collection’s name reflects a wartime reality in Ukraine: as Russia increasingly targets journalists, civilians, and volunteers, particularly with first-person view drones, reporting from the front lines is becoming more dangerous. When journalists cannot safely access and document events, the world risks losing visibility into the truth of the war.
Similarly, no credible sources are reporting from the territories of Ukraine that Russia currently occupies. Doing so would expose Russia’s heinous atrocities, which it doesn’t want to admit. Viktoria Roshchyna was the last public case of a Ukrainian journalist attempting to go to the occupied territories to document the situation from the inside. She was arrested by the Russian authorities, and her body was returned to the family with signs of torture and organs missing.
Using the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, we would like to focus the public’s attention on the fact that no news is, in fact, bad news — the quiet is not a sign of ease and calm, but rather a signal of a catastrophe unfolding while nobody is there to document it.
Why drone detectors matter
In today’s battlefield conditions, traditional PRESS markings no longer provide protection and may instead attract attention from drone operators. Drone detectors have become one of the only effective tools for early warning.
The Kyiv Independent has reported on this issue numerous times. We also held a fundraiser dedicated to purchasing mechanical knee prosthetics for George Ivanchenko, a Ukrainian photojournalist who was wounded in a drone attack while on assignment. His colleague, French journalist Antoni Lallican, was killed on the spot.
The selected device, WHOOVER 3.3, is a portable system designed to detect and intercept analog video signals from FPV drones and fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles across key combat frequencies. By identifying incoming threats in advance, the device gives journalists critical seconds to take cover.
- Cost per unit: Hr 24,000 (around $540)
- Function: Detects and scans drone signals, increasing situational awareness and survivability
As a photojournalist, Viacheslav Ratynskyi, notes in his column for IMI, "Modern detectors such as the 'Whoover' no longer simply emit alerts, but are capable of scanning wide frequency ranges, analyzing different signals, and intercepting analog video feeds from enemy FPV kamikaze drones. These devices feature built-in displays that allow users to see, in near real time, exactly what the Russian drone operator sees — and understand precisely where the drone is heading."
How the Kyiv Independent will support the cause
All profits from sales of the “No News Is Bad News” collection between April 21 and May 5 will be donated to IMI. The organization will then:
- Conduct a transparent procurement process
- Purchase the drone detectors
- Distribute them to journalists and newsrooms
The detectors will be added to IMI’s Safety Library, where reporters can borrow them free of charge from IMI’s Kyiv office and its regional "Media Base" hubs across 15 cities.
As drone warfare continues to limit front-line reporting, supporting journalists’ safety is essential to preserving access to information.
Through "No News is Bad News," we invite the readers of the Kyiv Independent to take part in protecting independent journalism in Ukraine and ensuring that the world continues to see, understand, and respond to the truth.It is thanks to our member community that the Kyiv Independent is able to continue not only to be the bridge between Ukraine and the world but also to support others who share the same cause and mission. Join the community helping the Kyiv Independent grow, consider becoming a member today.
