Key Takeaways:
- Disinformation Is a Weapon of War: Russia’s propaganda campaigns aim to destabilize democracies — Ukraine’s media is countering it daily and offers valuable lessons to others.
- Independent Journalism Is Under Threat: Local media in Ukraine are struggling to survive amid war, frozen aid, and burnout. Supporting them is a strategic investment in European democracy.
- Citizen Journalists Are Essential: Grassroots reporters, especially in occupied areas, document war crimes and deserve recognition and protection.
- Sanctions Must Be Personal and Immediate: Beyond economic pressure, targeted sanctions against individuals committing crimes against journalists and civilians are urgently needed.
Transcript – Lina Kushch
First Secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine; Head of the Journalists’ Solidarity Centers Network
Remarks at the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine Event
If we want a strong, secure, and democratic Europe, we must reinforce Ukraine’s ability not only to defend its borders but also to protect its information space.
Russia wages war not only with missiles but also with disinformation — and this extends to every country represented here today. Russian propaganda adapts to each context, manipulating language, history, religion, and politics. It is flexible, aggressive, and precisely targeted. Its goal is to create doubt, divide societies, and undermine democratic foundations.
Ukrainian journalists have gained unique experience in countering disinformation under wartime conditions, and we are ready to share this expertise. One of our key models is the network of Journalists’ Solidarity Centers. We operate six hubs, including in frontline regions, and have provided comprehensive support since 2022 — reaching over 4,500 journalists and more than 300 media outlets.
Investing in independent journalism is crucial.
Hundreds of local media outlets in Ukraine, especially in liberated and frontline areas, continue to operate under extremely difficult conditions. According to our March 2024 survey of more than 200 media organizations, 26 Ukrainian journalists are currently working without pay. Many newsrooms have only minimal financial reserves, and the situation is worsening following the freezing of U.S. aid and other funding sources.
We helped 32 Ukrainian frontline outlets resume operations — especially in the Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions — and we are deeply grateful to our partners, including Mika Beuster and the German Union of Journalists (DJV), for their essential support.
Despite burnout, damaged infrastructure, and shrinking staff, Ukrainian journalists continue to work. Supporting these outlets is not just a humanitarian gesture — it is a strategic investment in democracy.
Second, we must strengthen journalists’ capacity to survive war and stay in the profession.
Our solidarity hub model — offering emergency aid, equipment, safe coworking spaces, and training — has been replicated in other conflict zones, including Palestine. The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine supports not only registered journalists but also citizen journalists.
Citizen journalism is a crucial part of our national resistance. It began in Crimea in 2014, when ordinary people with no formal journalism background began documenting war crimes and abuses by occupying forces. We recognize these individuals as journalists and call for international partnerships to protect and amplify their voices.
Finally, we need more than economic sanctions.
We need personal sanctions against those committing war crimes — against journalists, civilians, civil society actors, and truth itself. Justice through the courts takes time, but sanctions can provide immediate accountability.
This will be a long war. Last week, I spoke at a journalist conference in Lithuania. People there asked: What can we learn from your experience? What mistakes should we avoid? How should we prepare?
I shared everything I could — from how to prepare a newsroom to how to protect oneself as an individual journalist. Because this war is not only Ukraine’s. It’s a war for freedom — for all of us.
The fight is not over.
And we must win it together.
Warm greetings from Ukraine.
