Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has placed academic freedom under severe threat, making media coverage a key arena where its narrative is constructed.

This study employs qualitative content analysis to examine how leading Ukrainian news outlets frame academic freedom in wartime. Using a 2024 dataset of news articles, opinion pieces, and feature reports, the research identifies dominant storytelling strategies, framing techniques, and discursive patterns.

Preliminary findings suggest that Ukrainian media emphasize existential threats to universities and scholars, portraying academia’s resilience under direct attack. Common themes include freedom vs. oppression, the role of international solidarity, and the interplay between knowledge and resistance in conflict zones.

This study contributes to research on media discourse and academic freedom by analyzing how war reshapes public narratives about higher education and intellectual autonomy. The findings offer insights into the role of media in shaping institutional responses and global perceptions of academic freedom during crises.

Petro Katerynych has a PhD in Journalism and is a Lecturer at the Department of Cinema and Television Arts, Institute of Journalism, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine.