The contribution of Ukrainian and foreign journalists covering the war in Ukraine cannot be overestimated, as they are the ones who tell the truth to the world. Learn more about those whose eyes are showing the world the brutality of the russian invasion

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On September 8, the world celebrates the International Day of Solidarity of Journalists, Correspondents and Reporters. This date was proclaimed by the decision of the International Organization of Journalists (IOJ), the oldest and largest international journalistic association in the world, back in 1958.

September 8 is not a random date, as it was on this day in 1943 that the Nazis executed Julius Fucik, a Czechoslovakian journalist, literary and theater critic, publicist, and activist of the Czechoslovakian Communist Party, in Berlin.

So, on the occasion of this remarkable date, we invite you to learn more about those who sometimes risk their own lives to tell the truth about the events in Ukraine to the whole world. After all, war reporters today are not only the voice of Ukraine and Ukrainians, but also the eyes through which the world looks at the war and the brutality of the russian invasion.

Read more about Ukrainian sports journalists and world-renowned reporters here.

Yulia Kochetova

Journalist and documentary filmmaker Yulia Kochetova began covering the russian invasion in 2014. Today, her materials are published by the most famous publications in the world: ViceNews, DerSpiegel, Reuters. It was through her eyes that the world saw the reality of the de-occupied Kyiv region literally the next day after the liberation of the territories. Yulia broadcasts not only pain and tragedies, but also stories of unbreakable Ukrainians, those who are steadfastly holding the line and inspiring millions of people.

In 2022, on Journalist's Day, Yulia Kochetova was awarded the Order of Merit by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Luke Harding

British journalist Luke Harding has known the real russia since 2007, when he headed The Guardian in moscow. Even then, constant threats and harassment by the FSB and russian authorities became part of his daily routine. After four years of his work, he topped the list of the "most hated journalists" in russia and was banned from entering russia.

He also began broadcasting events in Ukraine in 2014, when the russian army invaded eastern Ukraine. Luke witnessed the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Harding believes that his main mission is to tell the truth, and the truth, in his opinion, is on the side of Ukraine.

Yefrem Lukatsky

One of the most experienced Ukrainian reporters who is recognized worldwide. 66-year-old Yefrem Lukatsky is currently a photojournalist for the Associated Press. His pictures from the hottest spots of Ukraine can be seen on the front pages of The Guardian, Chicago Tribune, Time, and New York Times.

 Efrem Lukatsky has been documenting the russian invasion for Western media since 2014.

It is important to note that all presidents of Ukraine and leaders of many other countries have been in the reporter's lens. In addition, it was Efrem Lukatsky who filmed the historic moment for the country - the introduction of the national flag to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in August 1991.

Isabel Khurshudyan

Isabel Khurshudyan's career began as a sports journalist in Washington, D.C., and today she is the head of The Washington Post in Ukraine. Isabelle documents events from the hottest spots in the country and admits that she feels safer under fire in Ukraine than she did during the two years she worked in the moscow bureau.

Khurshudyan met the full-scale russian invasion in Kharkiv, and according to the journalist, that day changed her life.

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Mstyslav Chernov and Yevhen Malolietka 

Mstyslav Chernov and Yevhen Maloletka, reporters for the Associated Press, have taken many pictures that have traveled around the world and are forever etched in people's memories. They met in 2014 in the east of the country, when they were covering the MH17 crash for foreign media. And in February 2022, they met in Mariupol, where they documented the city's siege and russian atrocities until March. Mstyslav Chernov and Yevhen Malolietka were the only international reporters in Mariupol.

The journalists have won numerous international awards and are recognized around the world, a rarity for war correspondents.

Steve Andre

Steve first came to Ukraine in 2010 to create a photo project about the Chornobyl exclusion zone. Since then, he has returned to the country many times, falling more and more in love with it each time. In 2017, he went to the front line with his camera in hand. And in 2022, Steve Andre signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and became a press officer of a separate motorized infantry brigade. Steve considers it his duty to cover events and defend Ukraine, because he has to preserve what he loves with all his heart.

Vlada and Konstantin Liberov

The Liberovs are a family duo of photographers from Lovestore who, unexpectedly for themselves, became war journalists when the full-scale russian invasion began. After taking heartbreaking photos in February 2022 at the Odesa railway station during the evacuation, the photographers received immediate feedback from the audience, as these photos went viral on Instagram.

Today, the couple works all over Ukraine, taking pictures both in the frontline zone and in other regions of Ukraine. Their photographs are now published by the most influential world publications and the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Liberovs not only skillfully showcase Ukrainian realities to the world, but also capture evidence of Ukrainian resilience and beauty.

Christopher Occhicone

American journalist Christopher Occhicone has been living in Ukraine since 2014. Christopher has covered not only the russian invasion, visiting the front lines, but also the consequences of the Soviet orphanage system in modern Ukraine.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Christopher Occhicone has been traveling to the hot spots and documenting the events for a number of world-renowned publications, including Stern, The Wall St. Journal, The Atlantic and Bloomberg.

Read more about the experience of foreign journalists in Ukraine in our previous article.

Press tours to Ukraine and security measures

As a reminder, Visit Ukraine website offers journalists, influencers and official delegations who want to see the consequences of the russian invasion, particularly in the liberated territories, and get to know Ukraine and its citizens personally, one of six press tours accompanied by a professional English-speaking guide. For more information about the press tours and their features, please follow the link.

Please note that health insurance is mandatory for foreigners visiting Ukraine. However, we recommend purchasing a policy covering war-related risks. Such insurance covers not only basic medical services and treatment, but also accidents or injuries caused by the military aggression of the russian federation. You can buy an insurance policy with the appropriate coverage on our website. Read more about military risk insurance here.

We remind you! Ukraine continues to hospitably welcome foreign visitors even during the war, and despite the threats from russia, it fascinates people who come from other continents. Find out more about the journey of our 78-year-old American tourist on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day here.

Photo: PavelDorogoy/Depositphotos

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