Kherson State University

The event was organised by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine in collaboration with the Swedish Media Publishers’ Association (Tidningsutgivarna, TU). The forum took the form of an online meeting with simultaneous interpretation into Ukrainian and English.

The discussion centred on the functioning of journalism in wartime and its significance for frontline communities. Forum participants emphasised that, in such conditions, local media fulfil not only an informational but also a vital communicative function, often becoming the sole source of verified information for the population.

During the event, editors from frontline media shared their practical experience of working in conditions of constant danger. In particular, they discussed working under shelling and the threat of drones, the relocation of editorial offices and the resumption of their activities, as well as cooperation between media outlets to ensure the continued publication of print editions.

Speakers included representatives of Ukrainian regional media, notably Vasyl Miroshnyk (Zoria newspaper, Kharkiv region), Anatolii Zhupyna (Novyi Den, Kherson) and Oleksii Kovalchuk (Visti Prydniprov’ya, Dnipro). Iryna Sytnyk (Steppova Zoria, Dnipropetrovsk region), Oleksandr Solomko (Yampil Information Agency, Sumy region) and Oleksandr Kulbaka (Visti, Sloviansk) also spoke about the day-to-day work of the media in the combat zone.

The forum was also attended by Serhiy Tomilenko, head of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine; Johan Taubert, president of TU; and Oleg Nalyvaiko, head of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting. The Swedish participants shared their own experience of developing local media and explained the importance of supporting the Ukrainian frontline press.

The forum’s programme consisted of two parts: an international session dedicated to dialogue between Ukraine and Sweden and testimonies from frontline regions, and a Ukrainian session, during which practical case studies for regional editorial offices were examined. In particular, discussions centred on the financial sustainability of the media, finding stories in frontline communities, cooperation with military press officers, and engaging with the audience in wartime conditions.

The forum took place as part of the Frontline Press project – an initiative by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and TU aimed at supporting Ukraine’s frontline newspapers. Participation in the event gave students the opportunity to learn about the real-life experiences of journalists during wartime and to better understand the current challenges facing the profession.

Author: Kristina Khvedorko, a student of Journalism