On the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, ARTICLE 19 reaffirms its steadfast support for Ukraine in its fight to secure sovereignty and territorial integrity. As we mourn the victims of Russia’s brutal aggression, we once again highlight the dire consequences of Russian efforts to undermine freedom of expression, hinder reporting on wartime atrocities, and jeopardise accountability prospects.
ARTICLE 19 is particularly concerned about the attacks on journalists, repression in the occupied territories, blanket bans on peaceful assemblies, and information operations.
Attacks against journalists and human rights defenders
Deadly airstrikes, indiscriminate attacks on civilians and journalists, inhumane prison conditions, the shelling of civilian infrastructure, and enforced disappearance – despite a highly dangerous environment, journalists continue to put their health and life at risk to expose the atrocities and consequences of Russia’s onslaught on Ukraine. The most recent ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, which killed at least one person, also severely damaging several media offices, including ATR, a key Crimean Tatar-language TV channel.
While the estimates vary, since the launch of the full-scale invasion, at least 17 journalists and media workers have been killed while covering the war, and at least 41 have been injured. In 2024, we mourned the loss of Viktoria Roshchyna, who was detained and later died in Russian custody, and Ryan Evans, a security advisor for Reuters, who was killed in a Russian strike on a hotel in Kramatorsk. Roshchyna was one of the very few Ukrainian journalists to venture into Russian-occupied territories to document the war’s impact.
At least 10 journalists remain in detention in the occupied territories for refusing to collaborate. Many face accusations of ‘espionage’ or ‘terrorism’. Journalists are held in harsh conditions, often with little or no contact with the outside world. Reports indicate severe deterioration of their health, as seen in the case of Iryna Danylovych.
ARTICLE 19 reiterates that, under international humanitarian and human rights law, journalists must be able to perform their work without undue interference. Attacks that intentionally target journalists, as well indiscriminate attacks on and bombardment of settlements and undefended civilian objects, constitute war crimes.
Repression against freedom of expression in Russia-occupied territories
In June 2024, ARTICLE 19 welcomed the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) unanimous ruling that found Russia’s responsibility for systemic human rights violations in Russian-occupied Crimea, including violations of the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
Through threats, physical abuse, judicial harassment, and economic pressure, Russia systematically eliminated Ukrainian-language media in occupied Crimea, reducing the number of operating outlets to a bare minimum. The Kremlin has used discriminatory tactics such as denying or revoking broadcasting licences, withholding frequencies, and issuing warnings under Russian law to media that referred to the occupation as an ‘annexation’ or ‘temporary occupation’.
Concurrently, Russian occupying forces have severely cracked down on the right to protest by banning public gatherings and prosecuting any expression of support for Ukraine or the indigenous Crimean Tatar community. Repressive tactics include arbitrary detentions, prosecution, and intimidation of protesters and organisers.
The introduction of Russia’s repressive policies in the occupied areas of Ukraine decreases access to reliable and diverse sources of information. Russia blocks access to major digital platforms and numerous news media websites, undermining connectivity and cutting residents under occupation from the Ukrainian information space. We reiterate that the right to access information, just as freedom of expression, is increasingly recognised as a survival right in situations of conflict and public emergency. In the Ukrainian context, staying connected is often one’s lifeline in the areas of active hostilities.
ARTICLE 19 urges the international community not to turn a blind eye to the well-documented violations in the occupied territories, work toward breaking the information vacuum on repression, and advocate in international fora for a decisive response to Russia’s continued human rights and humanitarian law violations. The international community should work together to develop actionable avenues for redress and compensation for victims and their families.
Russia’s brutal attacks on civilians, journalists, activists, Ukrainian cities, and cultural heritage must end, and Ukraine’s right to territorial integrity must finally be respected. ARTICLE 19 strongly denounces Russia’s continued, unprovoked aggression and its crackdown on freedom of expression, which has increasingly been recognised as a survival right in times of war. Without access to reliable information and the right to report, grave human rights violations may continue unchecked, entrenching impunity and making justice impossible.
Information operations, propaganda for war, and censorship
Russia weaponises information alongside airstrikes and tanks, as the aggressor persistently seeks to falsely portray itself as a country defending its national security. In the battle for control over the narrative, Russian propaganda outlets and pro-Kremlin Telegram channels systematically incite and justify the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, which includes incitement to large-scale violence, such as war crimes and grave violations of international humanitarian law.
Telegram, a key social network in the region, is directly used for inciting armed hostilities against Ukraine, recruiting mercenaries and perpetrating doxxing attacks on Ukrainians. Russia continues its efforts to conduct cyber operations aiming to disrupt, degrade, or take control of critical infrastructure in Ukraine and support its war effort. It continues to exploit the fallacies of the algorithmic design of digital platforms to push its narratives that feed into the larger campaign aimed at propagating and supporting the aggression.
Additionally, Russian information operations strive to weaken support for Ukraine and undermine its credibility as both an ally and a victim of the war. These efforts include doctored reports, fabricated social media posts, and AI-generated videos or photos. Russian propagandists circulate false claims about President Zelensky’s alleged embezzlement of Western aid or attempt to shift blame onto Ukraine for political events abroad, such as the failed assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and ramping up hostility against Ukrainian refugees.
ARTICLE 19 underlines that propaganda for war is prohibited under international law. In its most egregious form of direct and public incitement to the crime of aggression, it is a threat to international peace and security and an enabler of grave human rights violations and war crimes.
Warning: The Russian authorities designated ARTICLE 19 as an ‘undesirable organisation’ on 8 February 2024. While the ‘undesirable’ designation can be seen as a marker of recognition of ARTICLE 19’s work to promote freedom of expression, we understand that it also carries significant risks for those who engage with our work. Under Russian legislation, an ill-defined and overbroad notion of ‘participation in the activities of an undesirable organisation’ incurs the risk of administrative and criminal prosecution. We also understand that sharing and storing this statement in Russia can be considered a prosecutable offence and may lead to the imposition of fines and other sanctions.