On 24 October 2022, the RUJ board took the decision to establish four new branches of the RUJ in the Russian annexed territories of Ukraine: Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
When contacted by its Ukrainian affiliates, NUJU and IMTUU, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger reaffirmed the full support of the world federation to them as expressed since the beginning of the war on 24 February 2022.
Hundreds of thousands of euros in donations have been collected through the IFJ International Safety Fund and sent to Ukraine. An IFJ/Unesco project has funded the running of several solidarity centres for Ukrainian journalists in the west of the country.
In addition, the IFJ President and General Secretary met with the Assistant Director General of UNESCO on 10 October in Paris and it was agreed to re-launch further concrete and joint actions for journalists in Ukraine.
The General Secretary is in permanent contact with the RUJ leadership to reconsider their position.
This issue will be on the agenda of the next IFJ Executive Committee on 28-29 November.