Donetsk journalists talk and share their experiences at an online meeting with NUJU representatives

More than 30 Donetsk media people joined the online meeting organized by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and the Donetsk regional organization of the NUJU to discuss existing problems, share experiences of working during a full-scale invasion, and talk to each other.

“Support of colleagues from the Donetsk Region is one of the Union’s priorities. Despite the extraordinary security and economic situation, we are making every effort to ensure that the journalists of the Donetsk Region stay in the profession,” noted NUJU President Sergiy Tomilenko, greeting the participants.

Maksym Zabielia, the editor-in-chief of the Myrnohrad newspaper, Ridne Misto, spoke about the current realities of work 25 km from the front line.

“A significant part of the population still remains in Myrnohrad, and we, as a print media, are distributed by subscription through Ukrposhta and, accordingly, we have to be together with our audience. Currently, we are finding opportunities to constantly support the publication. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, we remain almost the only print media that has not stopped the system output. In this regard, we try to deliver a printed newspaper to readers every week (or every other week).”

According to him, the publication would probably stop publishing if it were not for the support of the NUJU. Maksym Zabielia thanked the NUJU management for the opportunities and financial assistance. Also, he expressed hope for establishing cooperation with the members of the united media community.

Mykola Osychenko, a journalist and director of Mariupol television, MTB, emphasized the impact of russian propaganda on the residents of the occupied territories of the Donetsk Region during his speech.

“For ten years in a row, the russians have been “bombing” the Donetsk Region with propaganda. Given the aggressive policy of the enemies, de-occupation of our territories will be impossible without de-occupation of the brains of local residents.”

The leader of the Donetsk regional union of journalists, Olena Kalaitan, emphasized, in particular, the current opportunities for media workers and also thanked the President of the NUJU, Sergiy Tomilenko, and NUJU First Secretary Lina Kushch, for the strong support of the Donetsk journalistic center.

NUJU Information Service