The Ukrainian independent press has been awarded top honours by the World Association of News Publishers for its reporting on the war since Russia’s invasion.
The Golden Pen of Freedom award was given out Sunday, during the opening ceremony of the 2025 World News Media Congress. Oksana Brovko, chief executive officer of the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine, and Oleksii Pogorelov, president of the Ukrainian Media Business Association, accepted the award on behalf of media professionals across Ukraine.
“We don’t write because we are brave. We write because silence is not an option,” Ms. Brovko said in a press release.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainian journalists have faced immense challenges – from misinformation to the threat of attack. The World Association of News Publishers said this award recognizes the journalists’ sacrifices and commitment to upholding the highest standards of their work during wartime.
At least 16 journalists have been killed and more than 300 independent media outlets have closed since start of war, according to the association.
In a press release about the award, the association notes that many outlets have been forced to adopt digital-only models owing to revenue stream disruptions, and most local and regional publications are operating on little to no income.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development has dealt another huge blow to many struggling local news outlets in Ukraine. According to the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, the funding freeze has put many offices on verge of closure, unable to their pay staff, repay debts and print and distribute physical newspapers.
On Sunday, the Institute of Mass Information, a Kyiv-based non-profit media organization, posted the latest update to its rolling file of war crimes against the media in Ukraine, detailing a Russian drone strike on online news outlet Poltavska Khvylia. It’s the latest in a long list of similar reports, noting damaged offices, online hacks and the deaths of media professionals in Ukraine since the war began.
“In Ukraine, journalism is not just a profession. It is a way to survive, a way to preserve memory, and a way to resist,” Ms. Brovko said.
“Because when journalists fall silent - the occupiers speak instead.”