In the 2024 press freedom ranking, Ukraine has made significant progress despite security risks and Kremlin interference.
On Friday, May 3, the NGO Reporters Without Borders published its annual press freedom ranking worldwide. Ukraine moved up 18 places, from 79th in 2023 to 61st in 2024. This improvement is due to advances in transparency policies in Ukraine, aimed at aligning with European Union legislation.
In its analysis, Reporters Without Borders notes that:
The armed conflict triggered by Russia on February 24, 2022, threatens the survival of Ukraine’s media sector. In this “information war,” the country is on the front line in resisting the expansion of the Kremlin’s propaganda system.
The war has profoundly changed the nature of journalists’ work and the topics covered. With Russian attacks taking place across the country, journalists have become de facto war reporters. However, despite these challenges, the Ukrainian press continues to address social issues and plays its essential role in denouncing the corruption of the country’s elites, despite some pressures.
Since the Maidan Revolution in 2014, several laws have been passed regarding media transparency, access to information, and the protection of journalists. These efforts continue despite the war, driven by the determination of Ukrainian political leaders and the vigilance of civil society.
