Our summer series Threats to information takes us to kyiv. The Russian invasion is putting Ukrainian journalism to the test. Against the backdrop of the war, several investigative journalists have been subjected to pressure and intimidation in recent months. This is the case of Yuri Nikolov, founder of a media outlet investigating corruption, who notably uncovered a scandal in the Ukrainian army’s public procurement that caused a stir.
Last January, men in black uniforms and hoods violently knocked on the door of Yuri Nikolov’s apartment, threatening to send him to the front. The journalist was not at home; only his sick mother was present and escaped with a big fright.
Visitors left post-its on the door, with the words “ provocative “, “ traitor “, ” freeloader “According to the person concerned, a quarter of an hour after the events, a video and photos of the scene were published on an anonymous Telegram channel, which is said to be linked to the office of President Zelensky, whom he regularly criticizes.
Persecutions on the rise since 2024
Following this incident, an investigation was opened for obstruction of journalistic activities, but it was reclassified, four months later, as a case of hooliganism, to the great regret of Pauline Maufrais, Ukraine mission officer at RSF, Reporters Without Borders:
” This means that the fact that he was intimidated as a journalist is not included in the investigation. This is a new example of what we are increasingly seeing, especially since January 2024, the increase in pressure against investigative journalists. We have counted at least five journalists who have been surveilled or threatened because of their work or their publications on corruption. They continue to do their job, but there is a leaden weight that is felt more now than a year ago. »
Resilience despite a war context
Co-founder of the site Nashi Groshi (“our money” in Russian), a media outlet that is part of the global investigative journalism network that focuses on exposing corruption in public procurement, Yuri Nikolov revealed, among other things, the existence of fraudulent food contracts by the Ministry of Defense.
His investigations led to the Defense Minister Oleksiy resigns Reznikov. Despite the attempts at intimidation suffered by several journalists, the investigative work continues in Ukraine, as Pauline Maufrais points out:
” We are very admiring of the resilience of the Ukrainian media landscape in the midst of war, of the work of investigative journalists who have always continued to work. As early as March/April 2022, investigative journalists have specialized in investigating war crimes committed by the Russian armed forces. But in fact, quite quickly, there were investigations published on internal subjects. Investigative media continue to operate, and, at the same time, it is true that we, for several months, have been witnessing more pressure which, for the moment, does not prevent them from publishing. »
In March, Harvard University awarded its Prize for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism to Yuri Nikolov, who the institution said showed that independent, public-good investigative journalism was possible even in a country at war.
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