ETHICS OF JOURNALISM DURING MILITARY CONFLICTS: COVERING THE WAR IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The wartime journalism has become not only a tool for informing, but also a powerful factor in shaping public opinion, international response and psychological resilience of the population. After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in 2022, journalists faced new ethical challenges. The information war has turned into a full-fledged front where every word can have consequences, and the journalist has become not only a witness but also a participant in the struggle for truth. In times of war, the issue of balance between the public’s right to truthful information and national security requirements is becoming more important. Journalists must adhere to the principles of ethics in covering tragedies, avoid hate speech, disinformation and manipulation, while remaining professionally responsible to society. Despite the norms of international humanitarian law that guarantee journalists protection, in reality they often become targets of physical or psychological violence. Scholarly attention to this topic has increased since 2014, but in 2022-2023, research on journalistic ethics gained new emphasis, including the coverage of war in digital media, the use of social media as a source of information, and compliance with standards of truthfulness in the face of fast-moving news flows. In this context, journalism not only records facts, but also shapes narratives that can influence international support, humanitarian aid, and social cohesion. Thus, journalistic ethics in times of war is not only a set of professional norms, but also a moral framework that shapes the quality of information, trust in the media and the overall information security of the country.