On 24 February, 5am Kyiv time, my family awoke to the piercing sounds of shelling. Russia had invaded Ukraine for the second time in a decade. 

Ukraine’s local news outlets sprang into action, sharing lifesaving information about how to protect yourself, where to find shelter, and how to leave. I learned there were no bomb shelters near me – only a subway station, 1.2 km away. We made the impossible decision to leave. My family is now secure and safe. Still, many others cannot say the same. 

In the fog of war, local media is a lifeline for vulnerable civilians. This is especially true in our information age and against a global barrage of Russian disinformation. We cannot hope to bring a lasting end to this conflict without it.