Deliberate Deprivation: How Gaza Was Starved into Crisis
July 27, 2025
Julia Loktev’s Documentary My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow Chronicles Exile and Resistance
July 29, 2025
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has released a powerful call to action, spotlighting ten groundbreaking investigations by Ukrainian media outlets while warning that the country’s independent journalism sector is teetering on the edge of collapse. These investigations, ranging from corruption at the highest levels of government to war crimes committed during Russia’s invasion, have played a vital role in ensuring public accountability and democratic transparency. However, the media outlets behind them are facing increasing threats and severe financial instability.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian journalists have endured immense challenges, including physical danger, psychological strain, political intimidation, and economic hardship. At least five journalists involved in sensitive corruption reporting have been subjected to threats, surveillance, or legal pressure since early 2024. Meanwhile, the collapse of advertising revenues and the sudden freezing of key foreign funding sources—particularly U.S. aid—have left many investigative outlets struggling to survive. Some have had to cut staff, reduce output, or even shut down.
Despite the adversity, the investigative journalism community has continued to expose critical issues. Outlets like Bihus.Info, Slidstvo.Info, and Ukrainska Pravda have delivered reports that reveal procurement fraud, mismanagement in reconstruction projects, and violations of wartime ethics. Regional journalists, too, have broken stories about local abuses of power and civilian hardships, often at great personal risk.
To support these efforts, RSF has provided emergency aid to nearly 1,900 journalists and 270 media outlets through its Press Freedom Centres in Kyiv and Lviv. This includes distributing protective gear, providing medical and safety training, and offering psychological support.
In its new report, RSF calls for the creation of an International Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukrainian Media (IFRUM) to ensure sustainable, independent journalism. The organization argues that media recovery must be included in Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction strategy and urges international donors to recognize journalism as a pillar of democratic resilience.
Without immediate intervention, RSF warns that Ukraine risks losing the very voices that hold power to account and inform the public, particularly in times of war and rebuilding.
Reference –