Reporting on Ukraine: social media’s personal touch

As Russia continues its assault on Ukraine, local reporters accurately set the scene, blurring the lines between fact and opinion-based journalism.

On February 24th, 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine, sparking conflict that has dominated the news for several weeks.

Amid the chaos, wartime reporting has been essential to inform the public. Kyiv Independent reporters Anastasiia Lapatina, and her colleague, Illia Ponomarenko, are two of many Ukrainian journalists tirelessly covering the conflict. Both have found unique ways to use social media to share their wartime experiences, filling a personal gap that traditional articles and reports often leave.

For this post, I’ll explore how both journalists use social media:

• To supplement their written work, through sharing statistics, photos, and breaking updates that print and online articles can’t keep pace with.

• To share their opinions, experiences, and feelings surrounding the conflict.

• To create a casual, easily accessible, and understandable platform for their viewers.

“Weapons, beer, and heavy metal”

As a defense and security reporter, Illia Ponomarenko blurs the lines between solely factual reporting, and an infusion of his own wartime experience.

Residing in Ukraine at the heart of the conflict, Ponomarenko Tweets hourly updates, whether it be about the bombardment he and his peers face, the anger he feels, or devastating sights he witnesses.

Ponomarenko’s professional Twitter bio, demonstrating his casual social media presence.

Ponomarenko’s use of Twitter is constant, sharing information at a rate that published articles and reports cannot. His hourly Tweets range anywhere from statistics and updates from the Ukrainian military, to anger and profanity-laced pieces of his opinion. Or sometimes, he combines the two.

“A Russian Sukhoi Su-34 has just been sent to meet Elvis,” he Tweeted with a fire emoji, after the aircraft was annihilated.

In their shoes

Anastasiia Lapatina’s social media posts share a similarly casual, yet factual and opinionated sentiment.

Using Twitter and Facebook as visual aids, Lapatina posts images of the wartime destruction she often sees and writes about.

However, Lapatina additionally uses social media to share (much like Ponomarenko) her rage over the conflict as a fellow Ukrainian citizen, and the devastation she often feels.

“I hate Russia so much. Putin will burn in hell.” She says on her professional Facebook page.

Lapatina Tweets about how the conflict has affected herself and her family.

Like Ponomarenko, Lapatina uses her professional, social platforms like personal ones. She shares her on-the-fly thoughts, grieves her home city, Kyiv, and updates us on how the war has affected her family.

Is “personal” a bad thing?

Both journalists seem to break professional standards through their casual use of social media and blatant bias. This begs the following question: is their reporting reliable and legitimate?

Through their casual use of their professional accounts, Lapatina and Ponomarenko produce content that isn’t solely a sum of statistics and information, but that shows a wholistic image of this war: the damage done, and how it affects people.

Both journalists create content that is familiar, emotionally appealing, and approachable for any social media user. This lets us view the conflict through the eyes of Ukraine’s citizens and wartime victims- a unique and valuable perspective.

As they continue to keep us updated and informed, Lapatina and Ponomarenko also continue to shape journalistic “norms.” Will their “personalized” social media reporting set a new standard?

For the time being, their unique online presence is here to stay, reminding us of the intimate and brutal details of Ukraine’s conflict.

A photo Lapatina posted of herself at an anti-war rally in Paris, draped in the Ukrainian flag.