Day of Military Journalist of Ukraine: gratitude to those who tell about the war

On February 16, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Military Journalist, a professional holiday for those who work on the information front and record bloody military events. War correspondents work under fire, alongside the military and in de-occupied cities, risking their lives for the sake of truth. Find out more about the role of war journalists in the war, the risks of their work and why the issue of security for foreigners in Ukraine is critical today

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Today Ukraine celebrates the Day of Military Journalist, a professional holiday for people who work every day in places where danger has become a part of reality. They are the first to arrive at the sites of shelling, record the aftermath of attacks, document war crimes and tell the world what is really happening in Ukraine. It is thanks to their reports that the war does not remain “somewhere far away” - it has concrete faces, stories and evidence.

Military journalists work in extremely difficult conditions: under the sound of explosions, in frontline villages, in de-occupied cities, alongside the military during combat missions. Their work is not only about information, but also about responsibility: for the accuracy of facts, security of sources, their own lives and the lives of those around them.

Today, foreign journalists and volunteers work on the information front alongside Ukrainian correspondents. They come to Ukraine to show the world the truth about the war, but they often underestimate the real risks of working in a war zone. That is why the issue of security, training and special war risk insurance becomes not a formality, but a necessary condition for staying in Ukraine.

To learn more about insurance for journalists, volunteers and employees of international organizations in Ukraine, please follow the link.

Day of Military Journalist of Ukraine: what is it?

The Day of Military Journalist of Ukraine is an official professional holiday established to honor journalists who work in the combat zone and cover the war directly from the front. It is celebrated on February 16 every year on the same date.

The holiday appeared as a response to the realities of war: after the start of full-scale aggression, the role of military journalists increased dramatically, and their work became not just a profession, but part of the country's information security. That is why a separate day of commemoration has consolidated the importance of this work at the state level.

This date is not about celebrations, but about focusing on the real working conditions of war correspondents: trips to the front line, work in the frontline and de-occupied regions, constant risks to life and health. On this day, people usually talk about the safety of journalists, casualties among media workers, and the importance of protecting those who work in war with a camera and a recorder, not with weapons.

Who are war journalists and what do they do?

War journalists are media professionals who work directly in war conditions: on the front line, in frontline areas, and in de-occupied communities. This is not a separate “military” specialty, but a field of journalistic work that requires additional training in security, understanding of military processes and the rules of working in a war zone.

This is done by both Ukrainian reporters and foreign correspondents who come to Ukraine to cover the war for international media. Their work often takes place in cooperation with press officers, military units and local administrations to avoid endangering themselves or the military.

What is included in their work:

1. Preparation of reports and news directly from the frontline and near-frontline areas;

2. Photo and video recording of the consequences of shelling, destruction, and the humanitarian situation;

3. Documenting war crimes for the media and human rights organizations;

4. Explaining military events to civilian audiences in Ukraine and abroad;

5. Work “between the army and society” - transferring verified information without compromising the security of operations.

A separate category includes fixers and producers who help foreign journalists navigate the regions, find contacts and organize trips to dangerous areas. It is at this stage that the risks for both foreigners and local teams are often underestimated.

In our previous article, we told you how to find a quality fixer to accompany foreign journalists in Ukraine.

Journalist at war: work under constant risk

The work of a military journalist is almost always associated with increased danger. Traveling to the front line, working near the front line, and traveling to de-occupied settlements means real threats to life - even with basic training and coordination with the military.

The main risks include shelling, drone strikes, artillery attacks, mine danger, and unpredictable situations on the ground. Even after the liberation of the territories, the danger does not disappear: mined roads, unexploded ordnance, destroyed infrastructure and lack of stable communication create additional risks for film crews and volunteers.

Special attention should be paid to trips to the de-occupied regions. Such visits are important for recording the consequences of the war and working with local communities, but they must be organized with due regard to security requirements. Therefore, it is critical for foreign journalists and volunteers to choose travel formats to the de-occupied territories where routes are agreed with local administrations, safety briefings and escorts in difficult areas are provided. Visit Ukraine organizes such trips with a focus on maximum safety of the participants: with pre-agreed routes, escorts, and basic briefings before departure.

Journalists often work alongside the military during evacuations, rotations, or trips to frontline areas. This automatically increases the level of threat: such locations can become targets of shelling, and the movement of convoys can attract the attention of the enemy. That is why the work of a military journalist is among the most dangerous journalistic fields in the world.

Why does the world learn the truth thanks to military journalists?

The war in Ukraine is not only about fighting at the front, but also about the constant struggle for truth in the information space. It is military journalists who ensure Ukraine's presence on the global information front: they show real events, the consequences of shelling, the life of civilians in frontline cities and the work of military units. Without this work, many war crimes would remain unreported by the international community.

Reports from the sites of attacks, photo and video evidence of destruction, and eyewitness accounts become not only news, but also important materials for human rights organizations and international institutions. Journalistic materials often form the basis of war crimes investigations and generate public pressure on the aggressor. This is a direct influence of the media on international support for Ukraine: from humanitarian aid to political decisions.

Foreign media play a separate role. Reports from international media correspondents help convey events in Ukraine to audiences in the United States, the EU, Canada, and other countries. When the world's media work on the ground, the information is perceived not as a “distant war” but as a real humanitarian and security crisis that requires a response. That is why the presence of foreign journalists in Ukraine is critical to keeping the world's attention on the war.

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Foreign journalists and volunteers in Ukraine

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, foreign journalists and volunteers have been coming to Ukraine on a regular basis. Some are working on reports for international media, while others are involved in humanitarian missions, documenting war crimes or helping affected communities. For many of them, being “on the ground” is the only way to see the real situation rather than working from remote sources.

Foreign correspondents most often work in Kyiv, frontline regions, de-occupied territories, and near active combat zones, where key events take place and where they have access to eyewitness accounts. At the same time, these regions remain high-risk areas: shelling can occur even far from the front line, and the security situation is changing very quickly.

A common mistake made by foreigners is underestimating the risks of staying in Ukraine during the war. They often believe that standard travel insurance or basic security measures are enough. In fact, most regular travel policies do not cover war-related events, including injuries caused by shelling, mine danger, or hostilities. This creates financial and medical risks in case of emergencies and makes it difficult to get help on the spot.

More details about the most common mistakes foreigners make when buying insurance in Ukraine — we tell you here.

How can I protect myself while working in Ukraine?

Working or staying in Ukraine during the war automatically means an increased level of risk, regardless of whether you are a journalist, volunteer, documentary filmmaker or representative of an international organization. Even in relatively safe regions, the situation can change suddenly due to rocket attacks, drone attacks, or restrictions on movement, so personal safety should be considered in advance.

A war zone is an environment where standard travel insurance does not work. Most basic policies do not cover war-related injuries, trauma, or evacuation, as well as medical expenses due to shelling or mine danger. For foreigners working or staying in Ukraine, this means a real financial and medical risk in the event of an emergency.

That is why special war risk insurance for foreigners in Ukraine is a necessary security tool, not a formality. Such policies usually provide coverage for medical care in case of injury, emergency evacuation from dangerous regions, transportation to hospitals or abroad, and support in crisis situations.

Visit Ukraine helps foreigners to take out war risk insurance, taking into account the real conditions of their stay in the country. This is a solution for those who come to work in Ukraine not for a few days “for tourist purposes” but are aware of the specifics of the military context and want to minimize risks to health and life. This approach allows them to focus on their work or volunteer mission without being left alone to deal with problems in the event of an emergency.

How are military journalists honored in Ukraine?

Honoring military journalists in Ukraine is not just a symbolic commemoration on their professional day, but also a systematic effort to perpetuate the memory of fallen media professionals and support those who continue to work on the frontlines of the information war. These initiatives are both official and public and are designed to remind society of the value of truth.

Main formats of honoring military journalists in Ukraine:

1. Commemorative events and ceremonies - on the Day of Military Journalist and other dates, meetings, flower-laying, thematic events are held in the media community and military units.

2. Honoring fallen journalists - public commemorations, memorial projects, special media materials about journalists who died while performing their professional duties.

3. Professional awards and honors - awarding prizes and gratitude to journalists for their work in the war zone, documenting war crimes and reporting from the front.

4. Special projects in the media - thematic publications, video projects, documentary materials about the work of war correspondents, their working conditions and real stories from the front.

5. Educational initiatives and safety trainings - events for journalists on working in the combat zone, mine safety, first aid and psychological resilience.

Such honoring formats make practical sense: they not only build respect for the profession, but also emphasize the importance of journalists' safety and the need to create conditions for their work in war.

Why is this profession important today?

The war in Ukraine is ongoing, and the fight for the truth in the information space continues along with it. Military journalists remain the key witnesses to the events: they record the consequences of shelling, the lives of civilians in frontline cities, and the work of military units. Without this work, much of the war's crimes and humanitarian consequences would have gone unnoticed by the world.

The materials of war correspondents form the historical memory of the war today. It is not just news, but real evidence for future investigations, trials and international decisions. That is why the responsibility of this profession is growing every day, and the issue of journalists' safety is becoming part of the broader responsibility of society.

The safety of those working in Ukraine during the war is a shared responsibility of media, organizations and partners. For foreign journalists, volunteers and professionals coming to Ukraine, it is critical to take care of special war risk insurance in advance. Unlike standard travel policies, such programs can cover injuries caused by shelling, emergency medical care, evacuation from dangerous regions, and treatment in Ukrainian or foreign clinics.

Taking out the appropriate insurance through Visit Ukraine helps minimize financial risks in the event of an emergency and provides practical support to those who work in war not in theory but in practice.

Protect yourself while working or volunteering in Ukraine — get reliable insurance with military coverage at Visit Ukraine online in 5 minutes!

We remind you! Ukraine is strengthening its position in the global security system and is increasingly perceived as one of the key military forces in Europe. International analysts have compared the armies of 145 countries, assessing not only the number of soldiers and equipment, but also the economic, infrastructure and resource capabilities of states. Read more about where Ukraine will be ranked among the world's strongest armies in 2026.

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