Occupied Ukraine

As of February 2024, a significant proportion of Ukraine remains under occupation by Russian forces. This includes Crimea, as well as vast areas in the regions of Donbas, Zaporizhia, and Kherson. While some of these territories are under Russian control since 2014, most were torn away from Ukraine at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Two years after 24 February 2022, the MFRR partners investigate what occupation means for media. How do Ukrainian journalists continue to report on regions they cannot travel to? What happened to media outlets in towns and cities now under Russian control?

This webinar will focus on the timeline of events with the aim of understanding the realities Ukrainian media face under Russian occupation. Starting from forced closures of media by the military, panellists will recount stories of journalists fleeing from invasion, before turning to the challenges that the current situation creates, such as the need to conduct work undercover, in the shadow of Russian forces. Perspectives for the return of free media to a future de-occupied Ukraine will also be examined.

To delve into these questions, the MFRR partners will be joined by several Ukrainian journalists with first-hand experience of working under Russian occupation.