The Ethical Journalism Network's (EJN) new report on the media landscape in Ukraine calls on the global community and the Ukrainian government to provide more support for journalists working within the country.

“The constant drumbeat of propaganda and the presence of disinformation poses deadly threats to media freedom in Ukraine,” explains the report, which highlights the extreme risks faced by journalists who attempt to report from the frontlines of the war, and the strain on a media industry that was already facing significant challenges before the Russian invasion.

Among other actions, the report calls for a radical overhaul of journalism education in Ukraine, more support for local media, the lifting of restrictions on journalists who are covering the war from within Ukraine, and swift justice for those who target and kill journalists.

“The courage of Ukraine journalists and news media is an inspiration to us all,” says Aidan White, President of the EJN and the report’s editor. “They play a crucial role in truth-telling and defence of the country. But they need more support.”

"Ukraine media: defiance and truth-telling" is available to download now, following its launch at the Brussels Press Club on 10 July. The event was chaired by White, with panellists including Andrii Kulykov (Head of the Ukraine Ethics Commission) and Lina Kushch, (First Secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine); Adeline Hulin (UNESCO Project Coordinator Freedom of Expression/EU Partnerships); Jeanne Chavelier (European Director, Reporters sans frontières); Jean-Paul Marthoz (human rights experts) and Tom Law (Deputy Director, Global Forum for Media Development).

The report is based on texts by Lisa Clifford, who began work on the document before the invasion, and edited by White.

This is the final report in the Building Trust in Journalism series, initiated by the Evens Foundation, which explores the state of contemporary media in countries across Central-Eastern Europe. Previous editions have focused on Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Georgia. Find them all here.