For the first time, Russia labels independent media outlet as 'terrorist group'
Russia's FSB has designated the independent media outlet Komi Daily as a "terrorist organization."
Media
Telegram blocks Russian state-owned media channels in several EU countries
A number of major Russian news outlets had their Telegram channels blocked across several European Union countries on Dec. 28. Users attempting to access these channels now see a notice saying that the content has been restricted and is no longer available.
Russia deems record number of organizations 'undesirable' in 2024
Russia added 65 organizations to the list in 2024, include the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ), founded by George and Amal Clooney, and the independent Russian media outlet the Moscow Times.
Watchdog urges Zelensky to halt media intimidation, ensure press freedom
The organization also criticized a proposed bill in the Verkhovna Rada that could impose harsher criminal penalties for publishing information from public databases during martial law, saying that it threatens investigative journalism.
Politico lists Yermak, Putin among Europe's most influential people
Politico presented on Dec. 10 its end-of-the-year list of the most influential people in Europe, with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Russian President Vladimir Putin among the finalists for the "dreamers" and "doers" categories, respectively.
Controversial bill on state leaks fails to pass parliament
The legislation was lambasted by the media and activists as an attempt to hamper investigations into corruption and other illicit activities by officials.
Ukrainian journalists meet G7 ambassadors to discuss country's media landscape
"Press freedom and pluralism are crucial for strengthening democracy, supporting political debate, and advancing Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic path," the G7's representation in Ukraine said on X.
2 Ukrainian journalists came under Russian fire in Kharkiv Oblast
Two journalists from the Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske came under Russian attack in Kharkiv Oblast on Nov. 25 while filming a story about volunteers evacuating abandoned horses.
EU preparing additional sanctions against Iran over missile shipments to Russia
The European Union is preparing to implement additional sanctions against Iranian individuals and entities involved in propping up Russia's war machine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported on Nov. 15, citing a top EU official.
Kyiv won't stop supporting wartime pool of TV channels before martial law ends
The Ukrainian government doesn't plan to stop supporting the telethon, Ukraine's state-run pool of TV channels created during wartime, before the end of the martial law, Interfax Ukraine reported on Oct. 31, citing Culture Minister Mykola Tochytskyi.
EU slams Ukraine's wartime pool of TV channels, urges Kyiv to restore media pluralism
Brussels expects Ukraine to restore the work of all broadcasters in the pre-war format, questioning the telethon's objectivity.
Moscow court sentences Ukrainian-born film producer to 8 and a half years in absentia for reporting on Russian war crimes
Moscow's Basmanny district court sentenced Ukrainian film producer Alexander Rodnyansky, on Oct. 21, to 8 and a half years in absentia for "spreading fake information" about the Russian Army.
What we know about Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna who died in Russian captivity
Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, 27, was about to be released from Russian captivity and returned home, when the news of her death broke out on Oct. 10, shocking Ukraine and the world. Roshchyna disappeared in August 2023 while reporting in Russian-occupied territory. More than half a year later, Russia's Defense
Journalist Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity, held in 'one of the most brutal detention centers,' NGO says
Viktoria Roshchyna, a Ukrainian journalist who died in Russian captivity, was held in Russian detention centers where torture is used against the prisoners, the Media Initiative for Human Rights said on Oct. 11.
US actor, Russian propagandist Steven Seagal says he would 'die for Putin' in new documentary
In Steven Seagal's new documentary, entitled "In the Name of Justice" and shared on the Russian state-run media platform Smotrim, he is shown visiting various occupied territories of Ukraine, including Mariupol.
Silence from Zelensky’s Office as CPJ urges halt to Kyiv’s ‘systematic pressure’ against Ukrainska Pravda
The alleged attempts to pressure the media outlet are "are nothing short of anti-democratic given the essential role of the newsroom in upholding a core national value of freedom of the press," said Gulnoza Said, the Committee to Protect Journalist's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator.
Kyiv confirms death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna held in Russian captivity
The circumstances of Viktoria Roshchyna's death are still being confirmed, said Petro Yatsenko, a spokesperson of Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Russian state media faced 'unprecedented' cyberattack on Putin's birthday
The cyberattack was carried out by Ukrainian hackers as a "congratulations" on Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday, an undisclosed government source told Reuters and several Ukrainain media outlets.
Hungarians protest 'ruling party propaganda,' demand more media freedom
The protests, launched outside of the building of the state-owned MTVA media company, were organized by Hungary's leading opposition figure and head of the Tisza party, Peter Magyar.
US-sanctioned ex-Ukrainian official wins defamation lawsuit against media, including Kyiv Independent
The Shevchenkivskyi District Court in Kyiv on Sept. 23 ruled in favor of Andriy Portnov, a former top official in ex-President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration, in a defamation case against several news outlets, including the Kyiv Independent. Portnov challenged a reference to him as a “pro-Russian” politician and a person
Kremlin begins criminal investigation into chief editor of Russian independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe
Russia's Investigative Committee reportedly alleged that Kirill Martynov, chief editor of Novaya Gazeta Europe, was "conducting activities of an undesirable organization."
US Ambassador Brink: ‘We have some sense of contours of Zelensky’s victory plan’
The Kyiv Independent spoke with the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink on Sept. 19 on the sidelines of the National Media Talk, an annual journalism conference held in Kyiv, and supported by USAID and Internews. The following is the transcript of the interview: The Kyiv Independent: Thank you
Georgian government's offer to fund NGOs, media denounced as 'bribery' by opposition
Kobakhidze called the creation of the state fund a "step towards" NGOs and media, which allegedly risk losing funding from international donors if the law is followed.
Founder and co-host of Telegraph Ukraine podcast dies aged 32
"David was a crucial part of keeping the world informed about Ukraine," Liliane Bivings, the Kyiv Independent's business editor, said.
The Kyiv Independent launches J-School 2.0
The Kyiv Independent and UNESCO launch J-School 2.0, a training course for journalists and media managers aspiring to report for foreign audiences
Russian journalist sentenced to 8 years in prison for publishing stories about Bucha massacre
The charges relate to stories that the Listok media outlet published about the Bucha massacre, where Russian soldiers murdered hundreds of Ukrainian civilians, as well as other Russian war crimes committed in Ukraine.
Russia investigating Western, Ukrainian journalists over reporting from Sudzha
Russia launched a criminal investigation into CNN correspondent Nick Walsh and Ukrainian journalists Diana Butsko and Olesia Borovyk on the grounds of an "illegal border crossing" while reporting on Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Oblast, the state-owned news agency TASS reported on Aug. 22.
Ukrainian hackers show war footage on Russian TV, source says
According to the source, HUR's footage was displayed three times on prime-time TV channels: Pervouralsk TV, Eurasia 360, Eurasiaa Pervyi Kanal, and others.
US investigates American commentators with ties to Russian state TV, NYT reports
The investigation aims to mitigate the Kremlin's interference in the November presidential election.
Putin signs law banning 'undesirable' foreign state-funded organizations
The law on "undesirable" organizations has existed since 2015 and has been used to target perceived opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime, including NGOs, independent media outlets, human rights groups, and others.
Russian users say YouTube inaccessible amid complaints of massive outage
Thousands of Russian users say they cannot access YouTube from browsers or phones.
Estonia charges citizen who wrote for Russian state media with treason
Svetlana Burceva was arrested in March after it was revealed that she wrote for the Russian state sponsored Balt News —an arm of the Kremlin-run RT news outlet.
(Updated: )
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