Ukrainian journalists share frontline stories in Brussels

Ukrainian frontline journalists shared their stories in Brussels during “Ukraine Media Talk – Stories from the Frontline,” an event hosted by DW Akademie. The discussion centered on how regional newsrooms continue reporting under extreme conditions and what kind of support is needed to sustain their work.

The event brought together European decision-makers, journalists and five regional Ukrainian media outlets supported through the EU-funded MediaFit Re:loaded program: Cukr (Sumy), MIST (Kherson), Realna Gazeta (Luhansk), Eastern Variant (Donetsk and Luhansk) and Kordon Media (Sumy).

In a conversation about reporting under pressure, Lyubov Sitak, war correspondent at Kordon.Media was asked what lessons Ukrainian reporters would share with colleagues abroad.

"We've actually gotten so used to living in these conditions that we only realize how difficult it really is when, for example, we travel abroad and see a completely different life," Sitak said. "But when we live and work in such conditions, it feels routine to us, as if it's normal. Yet in reality, it is not normal to work without electricity or get ready for work without water."

Kordon Media, founded in 2023 in Ukraine’s Sumy region, was founded on the border, just 30 kilometers from the frontline. Sitak recalled the silence that marked the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022:

"There were very few media outlets or journalists who could reach the border areas and show what was really happening there. It was an information vacuum."

Since then, her outlet has grown from a team of four volunteers working without funding to a full editorial team.

"Sometimes we go out to film, but sometimes we end up having to save people. After a shelling, my colleagues applied four tourniquets to an elderly woman. Unfortunately, they couldn't save her."

The psychological toll is constant, but so is the need to keep going.

Voices from occupied territories

Adding to these stories, Valeriia Krupoderia, project manager and hotline coordinator for Eastern Variant, reflected on the need to stay connected with audiences from occupied territories. 

“More than a year ago, we launched an information hotline as an experimental project. People from occupied territories still contact us – asking about evacuation, humanitarian aid, or simply seeking information. For many, it’s the only connection they have left,” she said.

Eastern Variant is the largest independent regional media outlet in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Lately, they created merchandise to help their community feel united: “We started an online shop with items that remind people of home, of Donetsk and Luhansk. For me, it’s personal. My hometown of Luhansk has been under occupation since I was 11. I’m 23 now, and it’s still occupied. These small reminders help us hold on.”

From listening to action

Jan Lublinski, Head of Policy and Learning at DW Akademie, concluded the event with a reflection on how these stories could shape international support.

"You have created some strong images in my mind," Lublinski said. "The image of safari hunting, destroyed homes, the newsroom operating in the dark. I'm humbled by what I've heard. But being humbled doesn't mean silence. It means asking what my role is and how I take action."

Lublinski underlined that informing the public means more than just reporting:

"We understand in a new way what it means to set the record straight, to help people grasp what's happening, to hold power to account. Journalism also enables others to act."

The recommendations included strategic investment for media houses, not core funding:

• Support for newsroom innovation and crisis-safe reporting structures
• Safety measures that go beyond helmets to include psychological and digital security
• Audience engagement models, including merchandise and alternative platforms
• Continued political frameworks that place media at the heart of Ukraine's EU integration path

"It's not about defending budgets," he said, "but about using the structures we've built to act on what we've learned."

To close, Lublinski recommended five actions: "Defend democracy. Continue to report. Stay in touch. Step up. Most importantly, we have to go and do things a little beyond what we usually do in our roles. So go the extra mile. That would be my response to your talks,” Lublinski said.

The project "Strengthening Independent Media for a Strong Democratic Ukraine" is implemented by DW Akademie in cooperation with Lviv Media Forum and the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine Suspilne, funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

This article was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of DW Akademie and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.