PACE reveals number of Ukrainian journalists killed and jailed, passes new resolution
Photo: Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, killed by Russians (Getty Images)
During the full-scale aggression against Ukraine, Russians have killed 12 journalists while they were performing their professional duties. Another 26 Ukrainian media workers are unjustly imprisoned, according to the PACE resolution Journalists matter: the need to step up efforts to liberate Ukrainian journalists held in captivity by the Russian Federation, reports RBC-Ukraine correspondent.
PACE resolution
The resolution was approved unanimously.
As the author of the resolution, Ukrainian MP from Servant of the People Yevheniia Kravchuk said, in total, 111 journalists have been killed during the course of the large-scale war, almost a hundred of them as combatants or due to Russian attack or torture.
Half of the 26 unlawfully detained Ukrainian journalists were arrested before the full-scale invasion, between 2016–2021, and the other half after February 24, 2022. This includes media workers from occupied Crimea and parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Delegates also applauded recently freed Ukrainian journalists Vladyslav Yesypenko and Dmytro Khyliuk, who were present at PACE.
The resolution calls on the aggressor country to immediately release all unlawfully detained journalists and provide accurate information on their location and conditions of detention.
Council of Europe and EU member states are urged to support all mechanisms to hold Russia accountable: a special tribunal on aggression against Ukraine, a Compensation Commission, a Loss Register, and others.
The resolution also calls for personal sanctions against all Russians involved in crimes against journalists.
Russia persecutes and kills Ukrainian journalists
On October 10, 2024, the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna in Russian captivity was reported. Her body was only returned to Ukraine on April 24 this year, and experts found numerous signs of torture.
In late August 2025, Ukraine returned journalist Dmytro Khyliuk from Russian captivity.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is seeking a format for the return of civilians from Russian captivity, including political prisoners and journalists.
