On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, ARTICLE 19 honours journalists, human rights defenders, and civilians whose lives have been taken in Russia’s war of aggression.
We reaffirm our steadfast support for Ukraine and its fight for sovereignty, independence, and fundamental freedoms in the face of continued aggression. Russia must be held accountable for the grave and harrowing crimes it continues to commit. Any credible path toward sustainable peace must include redress for victims and reparations.
Since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Russian forces have continued to carry out deadly airstrikes against civilians, journalists covering the war, and critical infrastructure, as well as Ukrainian cities, including sites of historical and cultural heritage. A report published in October 2025 by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that intensified drone attacks have killed civilians, displaced residents from their homes, and caused widespread destruction. The Commission found that these patterns of attacks amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes, among them murder and forcible transfer of population.
The escalation of drone warfare has devastating humanitarian consequences. Energy infrastructure remains one of the primary targets of Russia’s ongoing attacks, leaving millions of Ukrainians without electricity, heating, and water supply. Families endure freezing apartments and prolonged blackouts while Russia’s relentless strikes continue.
Attacks against journalists and media freedom
Journalists and human rights defenders continue to risk their health and lives to report on the realities of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They document the human cost of the war, gather crucial evidence of war crimes and other violations committed by the Russian army, and work to debunk disinformation. Most importantly, they help preserve the factual record necessary to ensure accountability.
Since the beginning of the invasion, Russia has systematically targeted those who document and expose the truth. According to the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) monitoring data, 26 media professionals were killed as a result of Russia’s aggression in 2025 alone. The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine reports that at least 143 media workers have been killed since the start of the full-scale invasion.
In 2025, Russian crimes against media professionals also included attempted assassinations, shelling and drone strikes, injuries, threats, and intimidation. Dozens of Ukrainian journalists remain in Russian captivity. We reiterate the urgent demand for their unconditional release and for full compliance with international humanitarian standards in the treatment of detainees.
The case of Viktoriia Roshchyna, a Ukrainian journalist who was tortured and died in Russian captivity in October 2024, is particularly harrowing. Her death underscores the grave risks faced by journalists and highlights the systemic nature of repression in areas under Russian control.
Russia has also intensified digital repression. In 2025, Ukrainian media outlets faced large-scale cyberattacks, hacking and temporary takeovers of news websites, impersonation of media platforms designed to undermine credibility, coordinated disinformation campaigns, and attempts to seize sensitive data from journalists and human rights defenders. These tactics are aimed not only at silencing independent reporting but also at eroding public trust in credible sources of information.
Russia’s attacks against the rights to freedom of expression and information enable its ongoing aggression. When it comes to armed conflicts, free expression and access to reliable information is a survival right, a lifeline for people trapped in unimaginable violence. It must be firmly protected.
Repression in Russia-occupied territories
The human rights situation in Crimea and other territories occupied by Russia was already dire prior to the launch of the full-scale invasion. Since then, repression has only intensified.
The Human Rights Centre ZMINA describes a multi-pronged and long-term system of repression implemented by Russian authorities. This arsenal includes enforced disappearances, incommunicado detention, judicial harassment based on fabricated charges such as espionage or treason, politically motivated prosecutions, and forced military mobilisation of residents of occupied territories.
Terror has infiltrated virtually every sphere of life. Any perceived expression of sympathy toward Ukraine can trigger retaliation. Individuals have been punished for listening to Ukrainian music, displaying the colours of the Ukrainian flag, or expressing pro-Ukrainian views online. Homes are searched, people are detained or beaten, and some are coerced into recording public ‘apology’ videos.
Russian criminal legislation is actively enforced in the occupied territories, including offences of ‘fake news’, ‘discrediting the army’, and ‘memory’ laws. This restricts civic space and fosters an atmosphere of fear where self-censorship is widespread.
Journalists and human rights defenders remain particularly targeted. They face constant harassment, arbitrary detention, and criminal prosecution on trumped-up charges. Lawyers representing political prisoners have been fined, intimidated, or disbarred.
The occupation is also accompanied by systematic denial of access to information. Ukrainian broadcasting signals have been disrupted and replaced with Russian state channels. Independent Ukrainian newspapers have been closed or seized. Ukrainian websites and social media platforms are blocked or heavily restricted, and authorities have actively suppressed VPN services. As a result, residents of occupied territories have extremely limited access to alternative sources of information beyond Russian state-propaganda.
ARTICLE 19 stands with Ukraine now and always. We are committed to ensuring that the scale and the gravity of Russia’s crimes are not forgotten, denied or normalised. Russia must cease its attack on Ukraine immediately and provide redress and reparations to all victims.
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.