Location: Ukraine, Kyiv
Date: March 25, 2022

A month has passed since the Russian forces violated international borders to invade Ukraine. The military operation came amid growing NATO influence in the Eastern European region and Western sanctions on Russia. After several months of diplomatic engagements failed, President Vladimir Putin announced an “operation” to “protect people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years”. 

As is often the case with neo-imperial plans of occupation, the explicit motivation is flimsy and baseless. Putin’s move has garnered widespread condemnation from much of the world as well as criticism from its own citizenry. The Russian people have come out en-masse demanding an end to the war. 

As the situation on ground worsens, journalists and reporters from around the world find themselves in the midst of the conflict as they strive to ensure extensive and independent  reportage. Five journalists have been killed in the military crossfire as others face threats to their well-being due to Russia’s clampdown on free press and flow of information in the region.

Reporter for the independent Latvia-based investigative news website The Insider, Oksana Baulina lost her life amid a Russian offensive against the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. The incident took place on March 24 in the Podilskyi district, where she was present to report on Russian shelling. Oskana herself is the fifth journalist, and second female journalist to be killed while covering this invasion. Others include Brent Renaud (TIME), Oleksandra Kuvshynova (Fox News), Pierre Zakrzewski (Fox News), Yevhenii Sakun (LIVE).

On the other hand, journalist Viktoria Roshchina, associated with independent Ukrainian television channel Hromadske, was released on March 22, after spending six days in extrajudicial custody of the Russian forces in Ukraine. Viktoria was actively covering the conflict in eastern and southern Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the country. On March 11, she published an article on Enerhodar, a city in southeast Ukraine currently confronting Russian military presence. The work was based on testimonies of civilians in an attempt to draw a larger picture regarding the human cost of the ongoing conflict. Her employers at Hromadske claimed that the day of the publication of her article was also the last they heard from her. On March 12, she was sighted in Berdyansk. However, locals informed the news channel that she was taken into custody by Russian authorities on March 16.

News outlets face similar obstructions. In a show of blatant disregard for press freedoms, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Center for Combating Extremism the OMON special riot police raided the office of Pskovskaya Guberniya on March 5. The organization is an independent newspaper in the western region of Pskov. On March 18, searched the home of the chief editor of the organization as well as journalists associated with it, including Pskov-based journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva.

By March 1, at least three women journalists and others, reporting for independent media, were beaten, detained, and threatened by Russian security forces for covering anti-war rallies against the Russian invasion of Ukraine across the country. On February 26, Russia’s state internet regulator Roskomnadzor announced that news outlets can only report official government statements about the invasion of Ukraine. Roskomnadzor also threatened news outlets to block their websites if any reportage objects to the declaration.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with local and international journalists and newsrooms operating in the region. We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the journalists who were killed by Russian forces in the field. Information is often the first to fall to distortion and manipulation by aggressive forces and in times of conflict. Therefore, it is essential that journalists are permitted to safely do their jobs and bring vital information to the citizens of both the countries as well as the international community at large.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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