The National News Agency of Ukraine, or Ukrinform , is a state information and news agency, and international broadcaster of Ukraine. It was founded in 1918 during the Ukrainian War of Independence as the Bureau of Ukrainian Press (BUP). The first director of the agency was Dmytro Dontsov, when the agency name was The Ukrainian Telegraph Agency. Ukrinform is Ukraine's representative of the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) and the Black Sea Association of National News Agencies (BSANNA). Ukrinform delivers news stories in Ukrainian, Russian, English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, and Polish.

History

The state agency was established as the Bureau of Ukrainian Press (BUP) in 1918, yet since then it went through a series of reorganizations. During the Soviet period, it was associated with Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS).

Outlook

Ukrinform's main objectives are: the coverage of public policy and public life in Ukraine and providing information to government bodies; according to a Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine from February 19, 1997 the agency carries out its activities independently of political parties and public organizations. Per day Ukrinform issues reports in English, German, Ukrainian, Polish, French, Spanish, Japanese. Ukrinform delivers information to the media, TV channels, radio stations, official establishments and local governments, foreign embassies and Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad and foreign media. In March 2022, the Institute of Mass Information recommended the online media outlet Ukrinform as a reliable and trustworthy media outlet.

Television

FREEДОМ (formerly UATV) is a Russian-language television news channel with focus on the Russo-Ukrainian War. It's transmitted live on its website, via satellite, and through cable television operators. It has content in English on YouTube. Prior to its temporary closure in January 2020, the channel also broadcast in English, Ukrainian, Crimean Tatar and Arabic.