Materials devoted to the military draft in Ukraine attract increased public attention. This topic is relatively new for most of the media, and therefore, journalists face certain difficulties when covering it.
Monitoring shows that often, the comments of officials and councilors of various levels about the draft can contradict each other, and the relevant legislation is constantly updated, which complicates the work of journalists.
Russian propaganda is actively using the situation with the draft in Ukraine to promote harmful narratives aimed at undermining our country’s defense capacity. For this purpose, Russians mostly target social networks and Telegram channels, which Ukrainian media typically use as sources of information.
At the same time, the Commission on Journalistic Ethics believes that it is necessary to separate journalists’ professional performance of their duties, and the promotion of Russian propaganda’s ideas. Appeals to the Commission show that sometimes the media which strive to evaluate the actions of local government officials and employees of territorial recruitment centers comprehensively and objectively are exposed to criticism and accusations of playing up to the interests of the enemy.
In order to avoid accusations, journalists regularly limit themselves to sharing official messages when preparing materials on the topic of the military draft. This format does not lend itself to comprehensive coverage of the topic, issues that concern society remain unclear, which in turn creates more space for rumors and fakes.
Journalists should adhere to professional and ethical standards when covering issues of draft, like with any other subject.
- Bring up subjects that truly concern Ukrainians in relation to the military draft. This includes not only explaining the importance of draft during wartime, but also compliance with the law, the rights of military servants, justice of decisions, the interaction of territorial military recruitment centers with units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. If these topics are not discussed in the Ukrainian media, the audience will search for information in other sources, including those controlled by the aggressor country.
- Show examples of successful solutions to problems that arise during the military draft.
- Avoid generalizations and labels if the guilt of people you are writing about is not proven — for example, when you are writing about summonses being handed out in public spaces.
- Do not compare handing out summonses with “hunting” or “capture” of men (They Are Also Being “Hunted”: Men in Zakarpattia Received Summonses in an Educational Establishment).
- Check and clarify information from official sources, ask additional questions in order to be as accurate as possible. For example, the story Chief of the Chernivtsi Oblast Military Administration Zaparaniuk Allowed Employees of Recruitment Centers in Bukovyna to Verify Paperwork does not answer the question of where the employees can check documents: at checkpoints, in the street, at work, at home?
- Carefully check the information that appears on social networks (example: Young Man in Zakarpattia Passes Out after Receiving a Summons). Find out who the original source is, what is known about that person, and why they released certain information. Look for confirmation in other sources unrelated to the first one. Using information from only one source, which is often anonymous, without verifying it, would constitute a violation.
- Keep in mind that authors of social media posts may be biased and have their own interests.
- Do not support the inaccurate information about the practice of handing out summonses for violations (Summonses for Drifting: Original Punishment for Street Racers in Kyiv). This approach presents conscription as a form of punishment rather than the defense of one’s country against the enemy.
Restrictions on the distribution of certain information during martial law can create difficulties for journalists trying to cover public issues such as draft. However, martial law does not preclude the media from making efforts to honestly inform the public. Journalists must adhere to ethical norms and professional standards to ensure quality and objective coverage of topics important to all Ukrainians.