Researchers from the University of Tartu Institute of Social Sciences have compiled a list of information channels that provide as reliable and up-to-date information as possible in wartime. Caution is essential when consuming information, as there is a lot of inaccurate information circulating, both due to strategic and logistical-practical reasons as well as the rapid evolution of events. It is best to keep an eye on several reliable sources simultaneously to compile a complete picture for yourself.
The list below is by no means exhaustive, but the authors themselves monitor these sources and therefore dare to recommend them. To understand what is meant by the information war between Russia and the West, it is advisable to read the article by Carole Cadwalladr, a journalist for the British publication The Observer.
Estonian professional media outlets
As the war is close to Estonia both geographically and in terms of history and culture, almost all professional media platforms in Estonia regularly broadcast war-related information. You can choose the ones you like best among the following:
Propastop.org has compiled a list of Russian-language TV channels available in Estonia that can be considered reliable:
· ETV+
· Duo7
Propastop has checked and recommended a selection of media outlets that provide reliable Russian-language content. Part of these outlets have been blocked in Russia, so people in Russia can access them using VPN or via social media channels (although some of these platforms may also be no longer accessible in Russia).
Ukrainian media outlets on different platforms
Ukrainian local outlets provide information from the spot as soon as possible. The information is often in Ukrainian, but it is an excellent additional source of information for anyone who wants to bring a slightly different perspective into their information flow. The list below includes the websites of media outlets, but almost all of them also have active social media channels, such as Twitter, where you can get information sometimes even more quickly and just as reliably.
Ukrainian media outlets on different platforms:
Regional/global media outlets
The following sources also provide information in English. Their perspective is regional or even global – this means that they may have slightly slower access to information coming from Ukraine, but they can place it in a broader context.
Journalists of reliable media outlets
This list includes journalists whose publications we may have already mentioned above, but who describe events from a personal and human point of view as well as a professional one. These are their Twitter accounts, as this platform is best suited for the rapid transmission of short news – this is what it has been designed for. The information on Twitter can be accessed without a user account.
@carolecadwalla writer for The Guardian and The Observer
Heads of state, heads of government, and diplomats
Nowadays, most heads of state and government agencies have their own platforms on social media, where they publish either public information or personal views. Generally, the origin of the information can be understood from the context. In any case, the first suggestion in the current situation is to follow Twitter, but if you are not used to Twitter, you will most likely find them also on other, more familiar platforms.
https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; posts in English and Ukrainian
https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa – President of Ukraine; posts in English and Ukrainian
https://twitter.com/kajakallas – Prime Minister of Estonia; posts in English
https.//twitter.com/AlarKaris – President of Estonia; posts in English