OSCE Official Jan Braathu Denounces Russian Strikes on Ukrainian Media Offices After Female Journalist Suffers Injuries in Sumy and Zaporizhzhia

Condemnation of Attack on Media in Ukraine

According to 5 канал: Between July 17 and July 24, a series of Russian drone and missile strikes damaged the offices of three Ukrainian local media outlets in the cities of Sumy and Zaporizhzhia. The attacks hit the premises of Bilopilshchyna, Kordon.Media, and Inform.zp.ua, and resulted in a female media worker being wounded. This marks the sixth time Bilopilshchyna has been targeted, raising serious alarms about journalist safety and press freedom in Ukraine. Jan Braathu, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, has strongly condemned these assaults.

Braathu expressed outrage over the latest drone attacks on July 23 and 24, which he said severely damaged the Bilopilshchyna office and caused the injury. He stated:

'I am outraged by the latest Russian drone strikes on July 23 and 24, which reportedly caused severe damage to the Bilopilshchyna office and injured a media worker. I wish her a speedy recovery.' Jan Braathu

He also pointed out that other local outlets were hit in the same period:

• Kordon.Media in Sumy was damaged on July 17;
• Inform.zp.ua in Zaporizhzhia was struck on July 21.

Notably, the office of Channel 5 had already been attacked on July 6-the second such incident for that outlet since the start of the full-scale invasion-destroying its studio, camera gear, and workstations.

Braathu emphasized that journalists and media staff are civilians under international humanitarian law and must never be targeted. He said:

'For the second time this month, I must reiterate: journalists and media workers have civilian status under international humanitarian law and cannot be targets of attack. The provisions of international humanitarian law must be respected.' Jan Braathu

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi echoed Braathu’s stance, underscoring the critical role of local media. He remarked:

'Russia’s repeated strikes on local media are deliberate attempts to cut off frontline communities from reliable information. Print newspapers like Bilopilshchyna are often among the few-if not the only-trusted news sources for people living under constant shelling.' Heorhii Tykhyi

These events underscore the urgent need to protect journalists in conflict zones and to uphold international humanitarian law. The ongoing assaults on media outlets in Ukraine highlight escalating pressure on press freedom and information access-a dangerous trend for societies that depend on trustworthy news during crises. The situation demands a strong international response and support to ensure the safety of journalists as they carry out their professional duties.