The editor-in-chief of the Kyiv Independent spoke of the battle to tell the truth when she gave the prestigious Cudlipp Lecture this week.
Olga Rudenko delivered an impassioned speech at London’s historic Stationers’ Hall warning of freedoms under attack in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
She said: “It’s not just Ukraine that is under attack, everything that your leaders have here, their freedoms and liberties, democracy, the connected world. This whole life, all of it is under attack on this very second. It is Ukraine that is hit with bombs, but it is the values of the free world that are their real targets.”
Ms Rudenko received a standing ovation for her lecture on ‘The Battle for the Truth. Hard choices on the frontline with the Kyiv Independent.’
The event was organised by London Press Club and the Daily Mirror, supporters of the Hugh Cudlipp lecture.
Daily Mirror editor Alison Phillips praised the bravery of Rudenko and her colleagues at The Kyiv Independent, for their commitment to balanced and accurate reporting during Ukraine’s most challenging times.
Rudenko and The Kyiv Independent have been vital in combatting the spread of misinformation since Russia’s invasion, ensuring vital news on the frontline is delivered accurately, shedding light on the realities of the conflict.
Her role and that of the publication have been highly commended and led to a nomination for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize.
Rudenko also took part in a Q&A following her speech, during which she spoke of the complexities of her editorial staff covering Russia during the conflict, of British coverage of the invasion and of Twitter down-playing Ukrainian war content.
The lecture also saw the presentation of the 2023 Hugh Cudlipp Student Award, to recipient Pieter Snepvangers of The Tab, for his outstanding investigative story on university students using ChatGPT to cheat on their final university exams. The revelations in the story were followed with coverage across the national media.
The annual Cudlipp Lecture was founded in memory of the late Lord Hugh Cudlipp, the former editorial director of the Daily Mirror, and one of the pioneers of popular tabloid journalism.
