Ukraine improved its position in the 2026 Press Freedom Index and rose seven places, ranking 55th out of 180 countries.
This is stated in the annual Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.
Overall, Ukraine has risen 50 places since the start of the full-scale war. Despite the progress, the situation with media freedom remains problematic.
Ukraine has improved its performance in the political, social, and cultural spheres. In particular, it is about greater openness of parliamentary committees to journalists and the development of direct dialogue between the authorities and the media.
At the same time, the report points to a number of problems, including restrictions on journalistsʼ access to frontline regions, pending court cases regarding the persecution of media workers, and the impact of the telethon on media diversity.
The safety record remains the weakest due to Russian shelling and risks to journalists. According to Reporters Without Borders, Russia is holding 26 Ukrainian journalists, the highest number in the world among foreign media workers.
Globally, press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in 25 years, with more than half of the population living in countries where the media situation is rated as difficult or very difficult.
- Reporters Without Borders is an international non-governmental organization based in Paris that specializes in protecting freedom of expression, the rights of journalists, and promoting freedom of information worldwide.
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