Frontliner

Frontliner is an independent Ukrainian media organisation founded in 2021 by war photojournalist Andrii Dubchak, who began documenting Russia’s war in eastern Ukraine in 2014, and saw the need for systematic, in-depth coverage as public attention faded.

Originally launched as Donbas Frontliner through a crowdfunding campaign and donor support, it has since grown from a small founding team into one of the country’s most dynamic war-reporting platforms, with a focus on photojournalism. Its newsroom numbers around 30 journalists, editors, and specialists publishing in both Ukrainian and English for an audience that spans Ukraine and the wider world.

Frontliner pairs on-the-ground frontline reporting— produced by experienced personnel and dedicated field equipment— with investigations into the longer-term consequences of the war, from demographic shifts and questions of social inclusion to the broader transformation of Ukrainian society.

Committed to documenting the country’s contemporary history as it unfolds, Frontliner’s journalism has been honoured in national competitions, including a top prize at Ukraine’s Honour of the Profession awards.

With support from the International Fund, Frontliner will be able to maintain and scale up its editorial capacity and journalistic output. It plans to grow its audience across platforms to 500,000 monthly users, and to develop a more sustainable funding model.