Beyond the headlines: insights from journalists covering the Russo-Ukrainian war

Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to dominate the European news agenda, even now that we’re almost a year and a half into the full-scale invasion. Ukrainian and international media keep grappling with how to cover the war most effectively, while balancing safety, ethicality and the need to engage audiences amidst rising news avoidance.

This topic has been at the centre of a conversation that took place at IX LMF, a major media conference held in Lviv, Ukraine in late May. The Fix gathered key insights from the panel.

Delving into the human side of war 

Every speaker highlighted personal and human facets of war. Nastia Stanko, a correspondent for Hromadske, shared her firsthand experiences reporting from the frontline. Her mission, she explained, is to shed light on the human stories of the soldiers she meets. She constantly probes them about their hopes and the loved ones they’ve left behind.

After becoming a mother, she experienced a profound shift in how she viewed the war. The risks and repercussions of her job took on a new dimension, leading her to question, “Does our reporting make a difference?”

Nonetheless, Stanko found comfort in understanding that her stories, viewed by millions of people, resonate. She noted, “Our audience continues to engage with our war reporting and support us with donations.” The ultimate purpose of her work is “to keep [the memories of soldiers who have passed away] alive.”

Photographer Christopher Occhicone, known for his work with the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, and Stern magazine, narrated his experience documenting the war and its impact on the soldiers. He is capturing grim injuries, challenging work environments, and instances of stoic resilience. Occhicone highlighted that his photos help represent the soldiers as they wish to be seen and remembered, despite the harsh realities of war.

Veteran war photographer Ron Haviv spoke about his three-decade-long career, mainly focusing on his recent work documenting the ongoing Russian invasion. He discussed the difficulty of creating meaningful, thought-provoking work that can “rise above the noise,” recognizing photography’s pivotal role in raising awareness. 

A photograph alone cannot cease a war, but it can contribute to a series of actions that can make a difference

Ron Haviv

“Photographs enter the world and assume lives of their own, with the capacity to affect individuals in myriad ways,” Haviv said.

The role of evidence and documentation

Janine Di Giovanni and Nastia Stanko underscored the significance of meticulously documenting war atrocities. Such documentation goes beyond disseminating stories and experiences; they form an evidence archive that can fuel future criminal proceedings and counter disinformation.

Stanko, on her part, focused on the “everyday acts of courage” she observes amongst the Ukrainian people. She told the story of a man subjected to Russian capture and torture, forced to gather bodies from the streets and bury them. Her reportage, she stressed, provides critical evidence of these war crimes.

Janine Di Giovanni, representing The Reckoning Project, an initiative committed to chronicling war crimes in Ukraine, discussed their endeavours to assemble and authenticate eyewitness accounts of violations of the Geneva Conventions. She said The Reckoning Project originated “from a place of deep anger,” fueled by her extensive three-decade-long experience covering 19 wars and three genocides. 

The project emphasises employing Ukrainian journalists, as it’s their nation and quest for justice that are in focus. “Our team undergoes training in international humanitarian law,” Di Giovanni said, and they adopt a considerate approach to avoid re-traumatising victims. These validated testimonies are archived for future reference and to facilitate justice, leveraging Ukrainian and international courts, including the International Criminal Court. 

Di Giovanni stressed the necessity of evidence, stating that “Gathering evidence is a crucial duty of a war correspondent.” The Reckoning Project’s strategy stands apart by initiating evidence collection and investigation even before the war ends. This preemptive approach ensures that testimonies are documented before there’s a risk of them being forgotten or lost. 

Navigating the complexity of war reporting

Both Gulliver Cragg and Nastia Stanko reflected on the ethical complexities and personal risks that permeate war journalism.

Gulliver Cragg, a correspondent for France 24, reflected on his experience reporting on the war. He acknowledged frequent confrontations between journalists and Ukrainian authorities over access to information and the portrayal of narratives. However, he stressed the shared consensus on Ukraine’s urgent necessity to triumph in this war.

Source of the cover photo: Ira Sereda, courtesy of Lviv Media Forum

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