Over 100 activists, journalists killed during full-scale war – HR center
By the end of 2024, at least 121 activists, volunteers, human rights defenders, and journalists have lost their lives due to Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.
These figures were presented by the ZMINA Human Rights Center during the launch of its first memorial report, "Losses of Civil Society and Media in Three Years of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine," held at Ukrinform.
"The scale of civil society's losses during Russia's invasion of Ukraine is something we are still coming to terms with. The war continues, and the chaotic nature of combat makes it challenging to obtain comprehensive, verified data, especially about incidents in Russian-occupied territories. Some facts emerge months later, while others remain incomplete or uncertain. Yet, it is crucial to record these events as they happen because memories fade or are suppressed by psychological defense mechanisms over time. This report is a tribute to those who died defending the values of a free world in this devastating war, and we will continue to gather, document, and detail their stories," said Tetiana Pechonchyk, co-author of the report and Head of the ZMINA Human Rights Center board.
Before the full-scale invasion, Russia reportedly compiled lists of Ukrainian citizens to be arrested or killed, including politicians, public officials, law enforcement officers, military personnel, civil society representatives, human rights defenders, volunteers, activists, and journalists. Occupiers actively sought out individuals from these lists.
"After liberating occupied Ukrainian territories, military and law enforcement discovered bodies with signs of torture or unnatural deaths. Many victims suffered forced disappearances, arbitrary detention, and torture," added Danyil Popkov, a legal advisor at ZMINA and co-author of the report.
The findings from the report prove that the majority of civilian activists, journalists, and volunteers were killed in March 2022, in areas where organized resistance to occupation was most pronounced.
According to the report, in 2022, 81 civil society representatives and media professionals were killed; in 2023 – 19, and in 2024 – 21.
Most activists and media professionals were killed in Kyiv and Donetsk regions – 33 each, in Kharkiv region – 24, in Kherson region – 11, in Luhansk region – seven, in Chernihiv region – four, in Lviv region – three, in Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv regions – two each, in Russia – one, unknown location – one.
During 2022, particularly in the initial months of the invasion, many fatalities occurred while attempting to evacuate civilians, deliver humanitarian aid, or flee occupied areas. Russian forces targeted civilian vehicles and convoys, directed them onto minefields, and conducted mass shelling of government buildings, public squares, residential areas, and cultural centers — many of which housed volunteer and humanitarian hubs.
On occupied territories, some individuals were executed for their patriotic stance or suspected disloyalty to the occupiers. Many deaths remain unexplained, pending investigation. The report warns that information blackouts in Russian-occupied areas may prevent the full accounting of such crimes.
The memorial report was prepared by the ZMINA Human Rights Center with financial support from the European Union. Data were collected from verified open sources, interviews with family members, colleagues, and witnesses. The organization worked closely with the Institute of Mass Information and the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to additional data from the International Committee on Systematic Documentation, 143 Ukrainian artists and 94 media professionals have been killed during the war.