Annual report2025

The study findings were presented to representatives of Ukraine’s parliament, the Ministry of Culture, the Centre for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defence Council, the public broadcaster, and other institutions. Participants highlighted the practical value of the data for shaping state information policy.

The national presentation brought together 44 representatives of international organisations, diplomatic missions and media outlets, including the Embassies of Canada and the United States, the EU Delegation to Ukraine, BBC Media Action, the public broadcaster, and others.

Deputy Minister of Culture Hanna Krasnostup confirmed that the study’s data are being used to inform state information policy.

We presented the findings at the 10th Donbas Media Forum, at Redkolehiya 2025, and at the 34th Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland.

The results were further disseminated by major outlets such as Ukrainska Pravda, NV.ua, Suspilne, Hromadske Radio, Forbes Ukraine, Espreso TV, and other media.

The online school “Storytelling Solutions for Effective Media” became the largest in all three years of the project, with 162 participants, compared to 80 in 2024 and 42 in 2023.

Most coalitions formed within the project evolved into long‑term partnerships, as newsrooms saw that working together helps them remain resilient in times of crisis.

The long read “Why Has the Minute of Silence Become a Tradition in Khmelnytskyi Region but Not Yet in Odesa Region?” helped prompt the first‑ever minute of silence in the town of Reni to honour fallen Ukrainian defenders.

Eight investigations into ecocide resulting from Russia’s invasion were published by Kremenchuk Telegraf, Pershyi Zaporizkyi, Mediadokaz, USIONLINE, Skhidnyi Variant, Chronicle News Agency, Halka, and Reporters Media.

Tetiana Mylymko’s article on the readiness of Odesa’s resorts for summer prompted the city police to reopen two cases on Black Sea pollution and to call on citizens to report such crimes more actively.

Participants built lasting connections with leading investigative reporters in Ukraine to continue covering ecocide.

Launched a new “Editorial” series — analytical pieces on developments that matter both for Ukraine and for the wider world.

Featured high‑profile podcast guests, including Timothy Snyder, Anne Applebaum, Marci Shore, and Niall Ferguson.

Established ongoing cooperation with the “Come Back Alive” Foundation, which strengthened coverage of defence‑related topics.

Podcast episodes with Oleksandra Matviichuk and Maksym Butkevych reminded global audiences about Ukrainians who have survived captivity and repression.

Involved leading Ukrainian experts — such as Hanna Shelest, Yevhen Hlibovytskyi, and Taras Tymochko — in building an evidence‑based narrative about Ukraine for the world.

Developed a package of strategic documents: a needs assessment, a communication framework, a strategy presentation, and a brochure for the pharmaceutical industry. The Ministry of Health uses these materials in meetings with businesses and during international visits.

Secured publications in leading outlets such as “European Pravda”, “Economic Pravda”, Liga.net, “Interfax‑Ukraine”, “Dzerkalo Tyzhnia”, “RBC‑Ukraine”, “Ukrinform”, The Pharm Media, Apteka.ua, “Rubryka”, and UkraineWorld.

Arranged an interview with Deputy Minister Maryna Slobodnichenko for the Polish specialist outlet Polityka Zdrowotna, drawing additional international attention to the reform.

• Analysed the names and logos of regulators in 30 countries and proposed 52 branding concepts for the new authority.

The campaign used multiple channels: special projects in national media, publications in regional outlets, social media posts, animated videos, sponsored posts on Telegram and Viber, radio spots, and video clips on Intercity+ trains. 

Special projects were published by “Ukrainian Pravda. Life” and “Rubryka”.

We ran a training course, “How to report on CRSV,” for 50 journalists from across Ukraine. As a result, 58.8% of participants reported increased awareness of CRSV, with the greatest growth (71.6%) in understanding survivor support and the international response.

We produced a handbook for journalists, “How to report on conflict‑related sexual violence”.

Developed the campaign’s visual identity with a focus on sensitivity, humanity, and recovery.

Encouraged audiences to support survivors and helped foster a culture of care and non‑violence.

Covered a wide range of topics, including gender stereotypes, inclusion, HIV awareness, personal safety, and mindful behaviour online and offline.

Teenagers submit questions, and the team responds in posts alongside experts.

Engaged influencer Danylo Haidamakha to highlight the issue of body‑related shame.

For 6 of the 9 journalists, this was their first visit to Ukraine. First‑hand experience and direct contact with Ukrainian experts replaced secondary sources, improving the accuracy and depth of their future coverage.

The most engaging pieces included Rebecca Davis’s report from Kyiv for Daily Maverick, Willem Jordaan’s story from de‑occupied territories for Netwerk24, and Umashankar Singh’s video from the streets of evening Kyiv.

An offline networking event in May brought together 26 Ukrainian experts and international journalists; participants are already being approached for comment in new stories.

Op‑eds by Ukrainian intellectuals in Indian, South African, and Philippine media offered audiences a personal, human‑centred perspective on Ukraine.

Organised the opening of a viewing platform at the reclaimed Hrybovychi landfill near Lviv. The event was attended by EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Marta Kos, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi, and EIB leadership, and was covered by outlets such as “Suspilne Lviv”, Forbes Ukraine, “Rubryka”, Zaxid.net, Delo.ua, and others.

Coordinated a visit by First Deputy Minister for Communities Development Alyona Shkrum to Ternopil; her video from the site reached over 6,200 views on social media.

TV reports from Dnipro, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia reached around 39,200 viewers.

Published interviews with First Deputy Minister Alyona Shkrum and EIB Group President Nadia Calviño on Ukraine’s reconstruction and infrastructure modernisation.

Conducted in‑depth research into the needs of small and medium‑sized businesses.

The campaign achieved over 3.2 million impressions, significantly exceeding initial targets. Thematic stories were published by Forbes Ukraine, “Economic Pravda”,  NV.ua, Liga.net, and “Hromadske”.

Small and medium‑sized entrepreneurs gained access to structured, practical information about support options, helping them to develop their businesses in wartime conditions.

The article “Relying on real data: how the Business Barometer helps you stay ahead of the curve” reached 520,107 users.

The piece “From defenders to entrepreneurs: how ‘Trajectory 2’ opens new horizons for veterans” reached 395,952.

Engaged renowned Ukrainian mural artist Sasha Korban to create a mural in Zaporizhzhia despite shelling and a drone strike on the building just before work began; over 13 media outlets covered the process, and the mural was later animated using AI.

Produced a project video, which reached 506,482 users and gathered over 1 million views.

Designed a series of posters and placed them in Intercity train carriages, reaching 335,000 passengers.

Together with “Rubryka”, developed a bilingual special project.

Participants gained hands‑on skills in producing quality content and applied them immediately: 13 received support and released their materials.

A bloggers’ hackathon created a space for developing creative ideas and sharing experiences among participants.

The number of applications confirmed the considerable demand for communications expertise among Ukrainian CSOs.

• The project received very positive feedback from participants, who now articulate their needs more clearly, present results more effectively, and interact better with communities, partners, and donors.

At the start of the training, the average test score was 61/100; by the end, it had risen to 79/100, with the top result reaching 100.

Each community received its communication strategy as a foundation for future engagement with residents.

The project will have a long‑term effect: these strategies will help local authorities communicate with residents through clear, consistent messages, fostering constructive dialogue and building trust in local governance.

Journalists deepened their understanding of Ukraine’s path to the EU, the Union’s support, and tools to counter disinformation about European integration, consistently noting the practical value of the training.

Follow‑up journalism competitions encouraged participants to explore EU–Ukraine cooperation at the local level, resulting in stories on support for businesses, IDPs, and communities in cities such as Rivne, Dnipro, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, and others.

Conducted four social media audits of the EU Delegation to Ukraine and Ambassador Katarina Mathernova’s pages, followed by practical recommendations to optimise their content strategy. Within a year, the Delegation’s Meta pages gained 5,286 new followers and 6,850,000 in reach.

Participants showed strong academic results. Yaroslav Makodzeba secured an internship in the office of MEP Magdalena Adamowicz, while Daria Ahafonova was selected for an ERASMUS semester exchange at the University of Glasgow.

The three most active participants — Daria Ahafonova, Violetta Karpenko‑Zinkevych and Viktor Hnativ — attended the European Forum Alpbach 2025.

Two participant teams continue to develop their projects after the programme and are actively seeking partners.

In Cherkasy, a media literacy club grew into a Research and Training Centre at the national university.

In Kharkiv, the club’s initiative evolved into the first Kharkiv Media Forum.

The Baryshivka club initiated the creation of a new club in Irpin and attracted separate funding for training in communities across the Kyiv region.

The project fostered women’s leadership at the community level — most clubs are led by women.

54.8% of exhibition visitors said their critical‑thinking skills improved significantly after attending. The format proved effective for diverse audiences, including the public, journalists, educators, and military cadets.

Organised regional fact‑checking workshops for media professionals, educators, and civic activists in Vinnytsia, Lutsk, Cherkasy, and Kyiv; EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova attended the Kyiv event.

Held an interactive event for Kyiv students — “EU Fact Check: truth or fake?” — featuring a custom‑designed debate game.

The team game format “Fake‑makers vs Fact‑checkers” resonated strongly with participants, who shared their impressions widely on social media, generating 70 posts.

We launched the Joint Events Platform “Eurointegration Without Disinformation” to strengthen media literacy and resilience to disinformation about Ukraine–EU relations.

Produced Ukraine’s first guide offering practical recommendations for countering disinformation and hate speech online. It aims to improve respect for human rights on global platforms such as Meta, Google, and TikTok.

Brought together a national working group of former tech‑company employees, disinformation experts, fact‑checkers, gender specialists, and media professionals.

Developed pioneering documents for Ukraine that can serve as a basis for negotiations with tech giants on protecting freedom of expression and as a model for other countries facing similar threats.

65+ people on the team: we managed to keep key experts.

We continued to work with AI tools and tech platforms to automate and improve processes.

We began building our own model of financial sustainability through the communications agency Compions.

We successfully pass international‑level financial audits, confirming that even in crisis, our systems and procedures remain stable and effective.

Programme Director Andrii Kulakov joined the Expert Council on building a system of state strategic communications in Ukraine.

Creative Director Diana Ishchenko received the Women of Europe Award in the “Women in Media” category.