Ukrainian Journalist Recounts Detention and Abuse After Russian Occupation

May 23, 2026 – Ukraine/Russia –

Ukrainian journalist Iryna Levchenko has described her detention by Russian forces during the occupation of southern Ukraine, recounting months of fear, interrogations, and uncertainty after she and her family attempted to flee occupied territory. Her story was published by the European Federation of Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists as part of ongoing efforts to document abuses against Ukrainian media workers during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Levchenko, a journalist from Melitopol in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, said Russian forces detained her family on June 6, 2022, while they attempted to leave occupied territory through Crimea. According to her account, armed officers stopped them at a checkpoint, confiscated their phones, and separated family members for questioning. Levchenko said she initially believed the inspection would be routine, but soon realized they were being treated as security suspects because of her work as a journalist.

She stated that Russian officers interrogated her repeatedly about her reporting, contacts, and alleged ties to Ukrainian authorities and military personnel. Levchenko said she was accused of spreading anti-Russian information and supporting Ukraine through her journalism. During detention, she claimed officials pressured her psychologically and threatened severe punishment if she refused to cooperate.

According to Levchenko, she and her family were eventually transferred to different detention facilities in Crimea and southern Russia. She described overcrowded cells, limited communication with relatives, poor sanitary conditions, and constant uncertainty regarding their fate. Levchenko said detainees feared torture and disappearance, especially after hearing stories about abuse in other occupied regions.

The journalist was later released and eventually reached territory controlled by Ukraine. Since then, she has spoken publicly about the experiences of journalists and civilians detained during Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territories. Press freedom organizations say Levchenko’s case reflects broader patterns of intimidation, detention, and persecution targeting Ukrainian journalists in occupied regions since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.

International media and human rights organizations have repeatedly accused Russian authorities and occupation forces of abducting journalists, shutting down Ukrainian media outlets, and forcing reporters to cooperate or flee occupied territories. Multiple Ukrainian journalists remain imprisoned or missing, while others have reported torture, threats, and forced confessions.

The European Federation of Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists called for accountability for crimes committed against journalists during the war and urged international institutions to continue monitoring violations of press freedom in occupied Ukrainian territories.

Reference –

“We thought we’d be safe”: the story of Iryna Levchenko, a Ukrainian journalist detained by Russia

https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/support-ukrainian-journalists/article/ifjblogwe-thought-wed-be-safe-the-story-of-ukrainian-journalist-iryna-levchenko#:~:text=On%20the%20morning%20of%206,the%20family%20what%20had%20happened.