RSF - Reporters sans frontières
RSF - Reporters sans frontières
07/07/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 07/08/2026 02:14
Crimes against journalists in Ukraine: at the OSCE, a united front against Kremlin impunity
A discussion organised by Ukrainian parliamentarians and civil society, alongside Reporters Without Borders (RSF), held on 6 July on the sidelines of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly in The Hague, highlighted the Kremlin's systematic attacks on journalists covering its invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian representatives, relatives of victims and survivors, civil society actors and journalists condemned Russia's strategy to silence the media. In the face of these crimes, OSCE participating States must act to end Moscow's impunity.
"Antoni witnessed the impunity with which Russia kills civilians, aid workers and journalists before becoming a victim of it himself." The words of Aïda Belloulid, widow of French photojournalist Antoni Lallican, killed by a Russian FPV drone in eastern Ukraine in October 2025, set the tone for the discussion hosted by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which was dedicated to the Kremlin's crimes against journalists and the media in Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion. Organised by members of the Ukrainian parliamentary commission investigating these crimes, chaired by MP Yevheniia Kravchuk, the Ukrainian Institute of Mass Information (IMI) and RSF, and brought together legal representatives, survivors of these crimes and representatives of OSCE participating States, under the patronage of Ukraine and France.
Speakers reiterated the heavy toll paid by the media covering the war in Ukraine: according to RSF data, 16 media professionalshave been killed while carrying out their journalistic work since 24 February 2022, including four French reporters. These repeated attacks have had far-reaching consequences. As Aïda Belloulid stressed, "fewer and fewer journalists feel safe enough to work and cover the ongoing war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. They know that they are considered legitimate targets by the Russian army." Ukrainian photojournalist Georgiy Ivanchenko, who was reporting alongside Antoni Lallican on the day he was killed and was himself seriously injured in the attack, summed up the situation: "They changed the way journalists work."
Joining them, BFMTV journalist Maxime Brandstaetter remembered the artillery fire that claimed the life of his colleague Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff in May 2022 near the city of Lysychansk, in the region of Luhansk. This daily violence is compounded by Moscow's disinformation campaigns, which portray killed reporters as mercenaries. Maxime Brandstaetter experienced this firsthand: on the day Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff was killed, while they were travelling in a clearly marked humanitarian vehicle and wearing protective gear labelled "PRESS," the Russian state news agency TASS falsely claimed that they were French agents "delivering ammunition to the front line."
"Someone needs to be held accountable for these crimes and Russia needs to be held accountable for its crimes." called Aïda Belloulid. Maxime Brandstaetter, for his part, called on participants "to ensure justice is served and to strive to ensure that no journalist is ever again killed while performing their duties."
"Targeted shelling, arrests and deportations, the systematic destruction of broadcasting equipment - it is well documented that the Kremlin's persecutes journalists because of their reporting. It is openly endorsed by officials close to the Kremlin and entirely consistent with Russia's war propaganda strategy and its attempts to control the information space. Prosecutors in democratic states must make fighting crimes against journalists a priority. Parliamentarians must support and raise awareness of these legal initiatives. In both respects, the Ukrainian judicial and legislative authorities are leading the way. They need to be fully supported.
Antoine Bernard
RSF Director of Advocacy and Assistance
Discussion participants ©️ Hanna Chabarai
War crimes and crimes against humanity
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, RSF has documented at least 180 media professionals targeted by Russian attacks because of their work - and the threats have evolved. After artillery shelling in 2022 and the arrests and deportations of journalists in occupied territories, First Person View (FPV) drones have now become the main danger facing reporters on the front line. Three media professionals have been killed in 2025. To address this growing threat, RSF and the Ukrainian foundation Union have published adrone safety guide.
Media infrastructure has also been systematically targeted. RSF has documented 24 Russian strikes against Ukrainian television towers, while Ukrainian media offices have been damaged more than 80 times, according to IMI. Hotels near the front line where journalists work and sleep have also been deliberately targeted.
RSF has filed eleven complaints against Russia before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine: ten for war crimes and one for crimes against humanity. To date, the Ukrainian authorities have opened 132 preliminary investigations into Russian crimes against journalists.
Ukraine and Russia rank 55th and 172nd, respectively, inthe 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index.
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Text by Pauline Maufrais
Published on 07.07.2026
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