Ukrainian Media. News Consumption and Trust in 2025

Base: Total sample, N=1,649

Question: Which of the following devices have you used to get news in the past 30 days?

Base: Total sample, N=1,649

Question: What media have you used in the past 30 days to get news?

Base: Total sample, N=1,649

Monthly use of the media to get news

The share of daily internet users compared to last year has remained almost unchanged at 92%.​

The majority of the audience – 62% – are online news consumers (from news portals and social networks) who do not watch TV news.

Dynamics of Media Activity

In 2025, social media news consumption continues to grow. The use of other media – TV, news sites, radio and the press – remains at the same level as last year.

Access channels have become more diverse – compared to the last year, the share of those who use TV, laptop and tablet to get news has increased.

Questions: What media have you used in the past 30 days to get news?

Base: Total sample, 2015-2021, N~1,600/wave, 2022 N~1450, 2023 N=1534, 2024 N=1513, 2025 N=1649

Monthly use of the media to get news, 2015–2025 (in %)

Questions: What media have you used in the past 30 days to get news?

Base: Total sample, 2015-2021, N~1,600/wave, 2022 N~1450, 2023 N=1534, 2024 N=1513, 2025 N=1649

Questions: How often do you use the internet in general? - % of daily users

Base: Total sample, 2015–2021, N~1,600/wave, 2022 N~1450, 2023 N=1534, 2024 N=1513, 2025 N=1649

Questions: What media have you used in the past 30 days to get news? - % of daily users

Base: Total sample, 2015–2021, N~1,600/wave, 2022 N~1450, 2023 N=1534, 2024 N=1513, 2025 N=1649

Dynamics of Consumption of Different Types of Media, 2015–2025 (in %)

Questions: What social media news pages/channels have you visited within the past 30 days? (SIMILAR QUESTIONS FOR SITES/ONLINE SOURCES, TV RADIO AND PRINT MEDIA)

Base: Consumers of news from this media

Consumption of News in Foreign Languages

Almost a quarter of respondents consumed news in foreign languages, and among young people aged 26-35 this figure amounts to 40%.

Within the structure of foreign media, online sources dominate – i.e., news sites and social media, among which the most often mentioned ones were the BBC and CNN.

Questions: Do you read/watch news in sources that publish materials in a foreign language – for example, in English or German? Indicate up to three sources in a foreign language that you most often use to read/watch the news?

Base: Total sample, N=1649, Consumers of news in a foreign language, N=422

National Media Used for News (in %)

Questions: What national websites do you visit most often? Indicate up to three sites.

Base: Consumers of news from this nationwide media, 2024 N=340, 2025 N=396

Questions: What are the top three national TV channels that you watch most often for news?

Base: Consumers of news from this national media outlet. Radio, 2024 N=89, 2025 N=152

Questions: On what national radio stations do you listen to the news most often? Indicate up to three stations

Base: Consumers of news from this national media outlet. Radio, 2024 N=89, 2025 N=152

86% of respondents know about the United News telethon. The weekly audience is 43% and another 11% watch the telethon news several times a month or less. Almost 20% of respondents had previously watched it, but now they stopped watching it, and another 26% have never followed it.

38% of respondents who are aware of the telethon trust its news reports. Half of the respondents rate the information provided as timely, while lower ratings are observed regarding the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of news.

Questions: Did you know that with the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian TV channels united and launched a joint information telethon United News #UATogether? Do you watch the United News #UATogether information telethon?

Base: Total sample, N=1649. Those aware of the telethon, N=1412

Questions: To what extent do you trust the news provided in the United News telethon? Please rate whether the news reports provided by the United News telethon meet the following criteria? - % of those who agree completely or in part

Base: Those aware of the telethon, N=1412

Questions: Do you know about the Unified News # UA Together telethon? Do you watch the telethon…? To what extent do you trust the news reports provided by the United News? Please rate whether the news reports provided by the telethon... meet the following criteria? - % of those who agree completely or partially

Base: Total sample, 2023 N=1534, 2024 N=1513, 2025 N=1649. Those aware of the telethon, 2023 N=1223, 2024 N=1302, 2025 N=1412

United News Telethon, 2023–2025 (in %)

Social Media Use, 2024–2025 (in %)

Telegram continues to be the main social media platform for both communication and news, showing results far ahead of those of other networks. TikTok demonstrates significant growth in both the audience involved in its use and the consumers of news in this social media. At the same time, the consumption of news in Viber has significantly decreased.

Questions: What social networks do you use for communication at least once a month? Which social network do you prefer to receive news?

Base: Internet users, 2023 N=1,435, 2024 N=1,438, 2025 N=1,593. Consumers of news from social networks, 2023 N=1,163, 2024 N=1,257, 2025 N=1,421

Attitude towards the Regulation of Social Media Activities (in %)​

64% of respondents believe that the government should not restrict access to social media. At the same time, 30% support a potential ban or restriction of access, most often mentioning TikTok and Telegram as the social media worth regulating. If bans or restrictions are introduced, more than half of the audience – 57% – will be looking for new sources of news.

Questions: How do you feel about initiatives to restrict or regulate access to social media and /or online platforms in Ukraine? Which of them do you think should be banned/restricted? What will you do if the activities of the social media or news channels you consume are restricted or banned?

Base: Internet users, N=1593. Those who advocate the restriction or prohibition of certain social media, N=483. Consumers of news from social media N=1421

Bloggers whose Content is Read / Watched in Social Media (in %)

Questions: Which of the bloggers – public and political figures, activists, opinion leaders – do you read/watch in social media most often, who are you subscribed to?

Base: Consumers of news from social media 2024 N=1225, 2025 N=1381

National Social Media Channels for News Consumption (in %)

Questions: Indicate up to three national Telegram channels that you most often use to read/watch the news?

Base: Consumers of national news channels in social media who prefer Telegram. 2024 N= 626, 2025 N= 448

Questions: Indicate up to three national YouTube pages / channels that you most often use to read/watch the news?

Base: Consumers of national news channels in social media who prefer YouTube. 2024 N= 183, 2025 N=110

Questions: Indicate up to three national Facebook pages / channels that you most often use to read/watch the news?

Base: Consumers of national news channels in social media who prefer Facebook. 2024 N=129, 2025 N=90

Questions: Indicate up to three national Viber pages / channels that you most often use to read/watch the news?

Base: Consumers of national news channels in social media who prefer Viber. 2024 N= 102, 2025 N= 63

Questions: To what extent do you generally trust information from the following sources…? - % of those who trust completely or in part

Base: Total sample, 2022 N~1,450, 2023 N=1,534, 2024 N=1,513, 2025 N=1,649

Respondents consider family and friends to be the most reliable sources of information. Among state authorities, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/Ministry of Defense are most trusted. Social and traditional media are trusted by more than half of those surveyed.

Dynamics of the Level of Trust in News in the Media, 2015–2025 (in %)

News sources that are used more often have a higher level of trust: up to 60% of respondents trust the news shared in social media, and about half of respondents trust information from news sites. This year, there has been an increase in trust in regional social media networks.

Questions: To what extent do you trust the news in...? — % of those who trust completely or in part

Base: Total sample, 2015–2021, N~1,600/wave, 2022 N~1,450, 2023 N=1,534, 2024 N=1,513, 2025 N=1,649

Assessment of Content Covering the War of Russia against Ukraine (in %)

The highest ratings were given to the promptness and analytical component of the news reports covering the war in Ukraine. More than half of the audience trust such content, considering it reliable and accurate. Compared to the previous year, there has been an increase in both the overall level of trust and assessments of the reliability, accuracy, and completeness of e-content.

Questions: To what extent do you trust the media reports / content covering Russia’s war against Ukraine? Please rate whether the media reports / content covering the war meet the following criteria? - % of those who agree completely or in part

Base: Total sample, N=1,649

Dynamics of the Assessment of Content Covering the War, 2022–2025 (in %)

Reports that cover the courseof the war

Questions: Do you think there are enough reports / content in the media that focus on covering the course of the war ? Do you feel tired of the media coverage of the war in Ukraine? To what extent do you trust the media reports / materials that cover the war? Please rate whether these media reports/materials meet the following criteria. - % of those who agree completely or in part

Base: Total sample, 2022 N~1,450, 2023 N=1,534, 2024 N=1,513, 2025 N=1,649

According to respondents, the main signs of the reliability of information in the media are the reliability of the source of information and the representation of the different points of view – 43% and 35% of respondents, respectively, rely on this when evaluating content.

Questions: By what criteria do you determine whether information in the media can be trusted?

Base: Total sample, 2015–2021, N~1,600/wave, 2022 N~1450, 2023 N=1534, 2024 N=1513, 2025 N=1649

False materials (disinformation), in %

84% of respondents know about the existence of false materials, 75% are confident in their ability to recognize them. For 46% of the audience, disinformation remains a big problem.

Questions: Do you know that the media sometimes publish false information presenting it as ordinary one? Can you distinguish such content from ordinary materials? How relevant is the problem of false materials in the media to you?

Base: Awareness, total sample, N=1,649. Ability to distinguish and relevance, only those aware, N=1,388

Pre-paid and False Materials, 2015–2025 (in %)

Questions: Do you know that the media sometimes publish false materials as ordinary materials? - % of those who know In your opinion, can you distinguish such materials from ordinary ones? - % of those who think they can How relevant is the problem of false materials in the media to you? - % of those for whom the problem is relevant

Base: Awareness – the entire sample, 2015–2022 N~1,450-1,600/wave, 2023 N=1,534, 2024 N=1,513, 2025 N=1,649. Ability to distinguish, relevance – only those who are aware

False Materials, Ability to Distinguish

Among those who know about the existence of false materials, 78% were able to correctly identify at least one news item, and 6% correctly identified all news items.

The least mistakes were made when evaluating a news story about a UAV dropping a smoke bomb on civilians during training – 72% rated it correctly. Regarding the other news stories – about the increase in the incidence of measles and the program of "voluntary deportation" of Ukrainian citizens from the United States – the share of correct answers was much smaller, about 20–30%.

Questions: Next, please read excerpts of some news stories. Read them and indicate which one(s) is (are) false and which are true. The test news stories were prepared by media experts. Internews Ukraine and InMind selected samples for preliminary testing in focus groups. Based on the pre-testing results, three pieces were selected for the national study.

Base: Those aware of fake materials, 2019 N=1,213, 2020 N=1,225, 2021 N=1,320, 2022 N=1,216, 2023 N=1,292, 2024 N=1,253, 2025 N=1,388

About half a million people have already fallen ill with measles in Ukraine this year. This was reported by the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health on Facebook, Ukrinform “reports. “Currently, the epidemiological situation regarding the incidence of measles in Ukraine is concerning. The epidemic started to increase last year. And now the number of measles cases is 20 times higher than in 2024," the report says.

The administration of the US President Donald Trump is developing a program of "voluntary deportation" for citizens of Ukraine and Haiti. The plan anticipates leaving the States in exchange for a one-time financial assistance, the Washington Post reports. According to the journalists, about 200 thousands of Ukrainians and 500 thousands from Haiti will be encouraged to leave. Refugees who voluntarily "self-deport” to their home countries will receive a stipend of $1,000 dollars.

According to a video on social networks, during a Ukrainian military exercise in a forest near Kyiv, a UAV dropped a smoke bomb on a group of civilians in the forest, after which green smoke rose over the clearing in the woods. Police confirmed that a 18-year-old local resident reported an unknown object that dropped some green substance near the forest cemetery but refused to file a complaint. The patrol did not find the drone, and the applicant did not need any help. The drone was not identified, no signs were visible, but such “friendly” attacks occur when the military does not follow safety rules in places located near civilian objects.

Questions: Next, please read excerpts of some news stories. Read them and indicate which one(s) is (are) false and which are true. The test news stories were prepared by media experts. Internews Ukraine and InMind selected samples for preliminary testing in focus groups. Based on the pre-testing results, three pieces were selected for the national study.

Base: Those aware of fake materials, 2019 N=1,213, 2020 N=1,225, 2021 N=1,320, 2022 N=1,216, 2023 N=1,292, 2024 N=1,253, 2025 N=1,388

Awareness of Media Owners (in %)

45% of respondents consider it important to know who owns the media, but, in fact, no more than a third of the respondents really know the owners of the channels.

Questions: To what extent is it important for you to know who owns the media? Do you know who owns national TV channels/ local media / channels that you regularly use on social networks?

Base: Total sample, N=1,649. Awareness of the owners of social network channels – consumers of news from social networks, N=1,381

Awareness of media owners, 2015–2025 (in %)

Questions: To what extent is it important for you to know who owns the media? - % of those to whom it is important. Do you know who owns national TV channels? - % of those who know (including some). Do you know who owns regional media? - % of those who know (including some)

Base: Total sample, 2015–2021, N~1,600/wave, N~1,450, 2023 N=1,534, 2024 N=1,513, 2025 N=1,649. Consumers of news from social networks – 2024 N=1,225, 2025 N=1,381

According to respondents, in 2025, the most common and trustworthy were the following false narratives: "The Ukrainian leadership benefits from the martial law by not having to hold elections," "The subsoil agreement between Ukraine and the United States is a step towards external governance," and "The idea of mobilizing men over 60 and women is being considered." More than 50% of respondents encountered such narratives, and about 45% of those who know them believe they are true. According to the respondents, the least reliable information was that "Ukrainian military servants surrender en masse due to fatigue and lack of weapons."

Since the beginning of 2025, have you come across the following statements? (in %)

The Ukrainian leadership benefits from the martial law by not having to hold elections

The subsoil agreement between Ukraine and the United States is a transition to external governance

The idea of mobilizing men over 60 and women is being considered due to losses in the Ukrainian army

Ukraine does not want to stop the war, although there is an opportunity to come to an agreement

Ukraine should not expect support from Europe, because there is a political crisis there

Ukrainian military surrender en masse due to fatigue and lack of weapons

Questions: Since the beginning of 2025, have you come across any of the following statements? Which of them, in your opinion, were true or false? Did you share or discuss these statements with others? In what ways did you share these statements / discuss the news? Why did you decide to share these statements or discuss them? The false narratives for testing were prepared by Internews Ukraine and media community experts

Base: Total sample, N=1,649. Those who came across the statement, N=966/882/831/793/635/483. Shared statement, N=288/260/290/248/196/149

Socio-demographic Profile of Those Who Believe False Narratives to be True

The demographic differences between respondents overall and those who believe in disinformation are negligible.

Among those who believe in the narrative "Ukraine does not want to stop the war, although there is an opportunity to come to an agreement" men dominate. Narratives about the unwillingness to stop the war, the lack of expectations for support from Europe, and the lack of resources in the army often seem true to those aged 25-36.

Since the beginning of 2025, have you come across the following statements? (in %)

Those who regard false narratives as true

The idea of mobilizing men over 60 and women is being considered due to losses in the Ukrainian army

Ukraine does not want to stop the war, although there is an opportunity to come to an agreement

Ukraine should not expect support from Europe, because there is a political crisis there

Ukrainian military surrender en masse due to fatigue and lack of weapons

Questions: Which of these statements do you think were true or false?

11% of respondents indicated that they personally consume Russian media, 16% reported that people in their networks use Russian media.

The main motivation for using such sources was the desire to understand what they say about Ukraine – 46%, as well as to get an alternative view – 22%.

Questions: In the past 30 days, have you used any russian media to get news, including those that describe themselves as liberal and/or in opposition to the official russian government? Are there people in your personal network who use russian media to get the news? In your opinion, why do you think people use russian media?

Base: Total sample, 2015–2021, N~1,600/wave, 2022 N~1,450, 2023 N=1,534, 2024 N=1,513, 2025 N=1,649

22% of users of news sites are willing to pay for access to their favorite media, the majority are willing to do that provided that the cost of the service is no more than 2 cups of coffee (UAH 60). Most respondents are unwilling to pay for a subscription or access to news, because, in their opinion, there are many free alternative sources of information in the media space.

Questions: Would you consider paying for a subscription to access your favorite internet media?

Base: Users of news websites, 2021 N=753, 2022 N=613 2023 N=622, 2024 N=620, 2025 N=513

The Ukrainian leadership benefits from the martial law by not having to hold elections

The subsoil agreement between Ukraine and the United States is a step towards external governance

Those who regard false narratives as true

Those who regard false narratives as true

Those who regard false narratives as true

Those who regard false narratives as true

Those who regard false narratives as true

In 2025, social media continue to be the main source of news – 86% of respondents use them; in addition, social media platforms are the only source for 37% of the audience.

About a third of respondents receive information through television and websites, while radio and print media play a secondary role.

The smartphone remains the main device for accessing news.

United News Telethon (in %)