Since beginning of full-scale invasion, 147 media workers killed, and 28 journalists still in captivity – NUJU

According to Ukrinform correspondent, this was stated during the sixth meeting of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada on investigating crimes committed by armed formations of the Russian Federation against journalists and other media workers, titled "Regional Media During War: Destruction, Pressure, and Information Resistance," by the head of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, Serhii Tomilenko.

"According to expert monitors of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 147 media workers have been killed, at least 21 of them while performing their professional duties. In 2025, we recorded 160 attacks and threats. Of these, 70 involved the physical destruction of media property and journalists' property. According to our data, 28 of our colleagues are still in captivity," Tomilenko said.

He added that these figures are not final, as there is currently no complete information about all cases of persecution of journalists.

Tomilenko noted that any "Press" marking effectively turns a journalist into a live target for the enemy, as independent media pose a direct threat to Russian occupiers. He urged media workers operating on the front lines not to use the "Press" label on body armor or protective gear, as it can provoke the occupiers.

He also said that he discussed this issue with representatives of the OSCE, raising the question of whether it is appropriate to use special markings on protective equipment for film crews.

"We discussed that, on the one hand, in Ukrainian realities we urge journalists not to identify themselves or use 'Press,' while on the other hand, official international institutions say that under all conventions, when a journalist identifies themselves as such, it means any obstruction is recognized as obstruction against a journalist. Accordingly, here the issue of identification can mean death," Tomilenko said.

As Ukrinform previously reported, the Verkhovna Rada established the Temporary Investigative Commission to investigate Russia's crimes against journalists on December 4, 2025. The commission is chaired by Deputy Head of the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, Yevheniia Kravchuk, with Head of the Committee on Freedom of Speech, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, serving as deputy chair.