Journalists demand release of all their colleagues held in russian captivity

At least 30 Ukrainian journalists are held in russian captivity as of early July 2025. This is our pain, and it serves as an incentive to take all possible measures to free our colleagues. The Board of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) demands the release of all Ukrainian journalists imprisoned by russia. During the meeting of the Union‘s Board, which took place on July 3, the NUJU expressed a strong protest against the systemic policy of repression that the russian regime has been implementing against Ukrainian journalists and media workers since 2014, and called on international human rights organizations, journalistic associations, and governments of democratic countries to publicly demand the release of all Ukrainian journalists held in russian captivity, to initiate investigations into the facts of torture, illegal detentions, and deaths of journalists, to introduce personal sanctions against individuals involved in the repression of media workers, and to intensify diplomatic efforts to return illegally imprisoned journalists home. Among them are many media workers from the Zaporizhzhia Region.

Let me remind you that approximately 70% of the Zaporizhzhia Region is currently under occupation. However, from the very beginning, as soon as the occupiers entered the region’s territory – in cities such as Berdiansk, Melitopol, and Polohy – we did everything to support our colleagues who were left there, one on one, with the enemy.

Firstly, when possible, we handed over medicine for colleagues, thanks to the priests who were still allowed into the occupied territories. We also handed over humanitarian kits, money, and other supplies. We witnessed how our colleagues left our occupied cities. But we could not do anything about the fact that media workers began to be arrested. We witnessed the tragedy that happened first to Iryna Dubchenko, then to Iryna Levchenko, who was captured together with her husband, Oleksandr, in May 2023. Oleksandr was released last year, and Iryna remains behind bars.

I want to bring to your attention the situation involving media workers in Melitopol. It was in Melitopol that many of our journalists suffered and were captured. These are Anastasiya Hlukhovska, Heorhii Levchenko, Yana Suvorova, Vlad Hershon, and Yevhen Ilchenko. Everyone knows the story of Svitlana Zalizetska, whose father was also detained. And this was done so that Svitlana would return for her parents so that she would also be arrested. The fate of the media workers captured by russia is a glaring reminder of the price of freedom of speech.

However, we remained steadfast, fought in solidarity, and continue to fight for our captured colleagues. I thank the NUJU and non-governmental organizations for their support. By the way, we closely cooperate with public organizations and the Human Rights Commissioner in the Zaporizhzhia Region. In particular, we held two very popular and productive media forums during which we accepted an appeal in support of our captured colleagues. Additionally, in collaboration with Reporters Without Borders, we hosted a large teleconference on World Press Freedom Day.

Another very important and painful problem is the fate of our journalists who were unable to leave the occupied territories due to various circumstances. For example, Mykola Tyshakov from Berdiansk, who was kept in the basement, had a heart attack. He was later released, but on the condition of a written promise not to leave, and he is forced to hide somewhere outside the city.

It is also very difficult for media workers in occupied Melitopol, where, due to serious circumstances, only three media workers remain, while there were originally four. Oleh Honcharenko managed to leave for Estonia, where his daughter lives, but upon arrival, he had a stroke. The Union responded very quickly, lent a shoulder, we sent money, but after three months in a coma, Oleh passed away…

And I also want to emphasize our constant connection with the Zaporizhzhia media workers, who are currently abroad. When the network of the NUJU‘s Journalists’ Solidarity Centers began to operate, we established contact with those journalists who managed to escape the occupation and go abroad. Through them, we also receive testimony about what is being done there in the occupied territories. We strive to support all our colleagues who require assistance. After all, this is our common cause.

Nataliya Kuzmenko

Head of NUJU’s Zaporizhzhia regional organization

REFERENCE INFORMATION. Nataliya Kuzmenko, the head of the Zaporizhzhia regional organization of the NUJU / co-coordinator of the Zaporizhzhia JSC / an honored journalist of Ukraine, is always in contact with media professionals. She strives to help each of her colleagues who need support and aims to improve the media landscape in the Zaporizhzhia Region through her work.

On July 3, 2025, an expanded meeting of the Board of the NUJU was held, attended by more than 50 representatives from the organization’s governing bodies. The main issues on the agenda were: implementation of the priority areas of the NUJU‘s activity in 2025 (safety of journalists, support for prisoners, assistance to front-line media), the activities of the network of JSCs, support for regional media, as well as organizational issues regarding the creation of new regional structures in Odesa. The participants unanimously adopted a statement of solidarity with Ukrainian journalists in russian captivity and a resolution on the need for systematic support for local media.