Lviv Media Forum team has launched a comprehensive online platform called Reporting Ukraine Guide to support foreign journalists covering the Russian war against Ukraine. The website offers specialized resources tailored to the needs of media professionals working in war zones and newly liberated territories.
Created by the Ukrainian NGO Lviv Media Forum, Reporting Ukraine Guide provides a one-stop shop for international journalists preparing to report on the ground in Ukraine. The website consolidates practical information needed to navigate the complex landscape of covering the war with confidence.
“Our team is dedicated to giving foreign reporters the tools to cover Russia’s military crimes and Ukraine’s liberation efforts, especially for those venturing into high-risk areas on the frontlines,” says Lviv Media Forum’s team. “We designed this platform to be a go-to source for the resources international journalists require to report safely and effectively from Ukraine.”
The Reporting Ukraine guide is structured into sections that foreigners can easily reference. It covers facts about Ukraine’s geography, population, culture, economy, and history. The guide provides historical timelines, recommended books and documentaries to understand Ukraine’s background. This contextual information helps international journalists report on the invasion knowledgably. There are step-by-step instructions for acquiring press accreditation and understanding martial law restrictions.
The website offers extensive recommendations of English-language Ukrainian media, experts, and official contacts. It provides tips on services like insurance, visas, accommodation, transportation, and more. Reporting Ukraine also shares advice on mobile communication and apps useful for reporting from Ukraine.
Detailed city-by-city contacts of local authorities near the frontlines can help journalists coordinate their coverage on the ground. The website contains safety tips tailored for work in combat zones and liberation areas. The website welcomes feedback and requests from users.
- The Facts About Ukraine section provides key data on the country often overlooked by foreigners. This includes Ukraine’s 8 UNESCO world heritage sites, and superlatives like the deepest metro station in the world.
- The History of Ukraine timeline summarizes key events over centuries of complex change in the region. It touches on eras under various powers like the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Cossack Hetmanate, the Russian Empire, and more. The guide explains Ukraine’s difficult 20th century oscillating between independence and Soviet rule.
- In the Media Sources and Contacts segment, Reporting Ukraine suggests leading English-language Ukrainian outlets for war coverage. It provides assistance connecting with local fixers critical for on-the-ground reporting. The guide lists contacts for various Ukrainian institutions and credible experts able to offer commentary in English.
- The Services section is crucial for journalists visiting Ukraine to cover the war. It offers guidance on essentials like insurance, visas, transportation, accommodation, legal assistance, and medical aid. This helps foreign reporters arrange the logistics and access key resources for their work on the ground.
Reporting Ukraine goes in-depth on communications issues with advice on SIM cards, WiFi, and apps for reporters in Ukraine. It provides tips for handling internet outages and blackouts in war-affected areas. The Coordination Centers segment lists key local contacts in frontline cities to assist media.
“Reporting Ukraine consolidates the key information international journalists need for effective coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine,” Lviv Media Forum’s. “We will continue expanding and improving it as a public service, especially with insights from foreign reporters utilizing the platform.”
By aggregating these categories of vital information for foreign journalists, Reporting Ukraine stands out as an invaluable guide. It encapsulates exactly what media professionals need for effective, safe reporting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Lviv Media Forum is a non-governmental organization founded in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv in 2013. Over the past decade, Lviv Media Forum has grown into a hub promoting professional journalism, media literacy, fact-checking, and ethical standards in Ukraine. Lviv Media Forum runs various projects and events to advance independent media in Ukraine. Lviv Media Forum has partnered with organizations like Internews, USAID, IREX, Reporters Without Borders, and more on media development initiatives in Ukraine.
In February 2022, as Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Lviv Media Forum mobilized to support journalists covering the war. The organization has facilitated trainings on war reporting, offered free psychological aid for reporters, and taken the lead on various informational projects to back Ukraine’s independent media.
