Alex Craiu on Journalism During War

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/09/24

Alex Craiu lives and works in Ukraine as a war correspondent. He studied in the United Kingdom and California, United States, with a documentary and cinematography production degree. He works as a freelancer and independent journalist. In 2017, he successfully completed an internship with the BBC in London and later started creating videos for social networks, collaborating with various publications. He travelled to all regions of Ukraine, except those occupied in the context of the current war, and presented online the current situation in Ukraine, including in conflict zones. Currently based in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, he analyzes and documents people’s lives during the war.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Today, we will discuss your experience living in Ukraine as a journalist. So let us jump into it; we met while I was travelling in Ukraine with the wonderful Remus Cernea. We received some body armour and helmets from a friend here. We were about 10 kilometres from the front line when we were turned around because it was too dangerous, “very dangerous.” This was in Sumy Oblast. From what I know, you’ve lived here for quite some time. I’ve only been here for about a month, on and off, in two trips—probably around five weeks. What have been your biggest lessons from living here and being immersed in this culture during a war?

Alex Craiu: One of the things I’ve realized after almost a year of living in Ukraine is that it requires something I didn’tknow I was prepared for when I first arrived. Moving to Ukraine is not like moving to any other country. We’re talking about a country at war, where people must take sides. You cannot detach yourself. You cannot say, “Oh, I will come to Ukraine, live there, but not get involved in the politics or the war.” It’s impossible.

So, I learned that you must be part of the political dynamics of living here. Additionally, Ukrainians are generally very friendly to foreigners. Foreigners are indeed welcomed here because Ukrainians are very much aware of Western countries’ support for Ukraine. This country is not designed to receive immigrants.

It’s not designed for receiving foreigners. You always encounter one or two people who are suspicious of you, want to ask questions, or are surprised that you are perhaps a tourist or a foreigner who has chosen to live here willingly. People can be extremely suspicious of that. So, yes, I would say that the hardest part, besides the language barrier, has been coming to a country that is not currently designed to receive immigrants. It’s a country where you must take sides and be involved, at least to some extent, in political matters.

Jacobsen: When travelling, do you consider staying in one place or moving around to different oblasts more dangerous?

Craiu: That’s a very good question. Let me think talk about it briefly because, like any trip in Ukraine, it depends very much on where you are. If you’re in Western Ukraine, it is generally a much safer place, particularly close to the border with Romania. Western Ukraine, especially close to the border with Northern Romania, is generally considered one of the few areas where no or very few attacks have been recorded. These territories are safe except for recent major attacks, particularly in Western Ukraine. With those exceptions, Western Ukraine is considered very safe.

One thing to be mindful of, especially if you are a public person or in the public eye, is that people—particularly spies or Russian intelligence—are good at discovering your location. So, when it comes to staying in one place, giving away as few clues as possible about your location is probably most important. Do not disclose your location.

Refrain from revealing your whereabouts or address, particularly where you live. From my experience in Transnistria, the Russian-occupied territory of Moldova, Russians are interested in finding your whereabouts, even in real-time, if possible. That’s why they installed spyware on my phone; some location tracking may have been involved. So, yes, that’s one of the biggest dangers.

Travelling around, especially along the front lines, is also very dangerous. Depending on the vehicle you are in, you might be visible and become a target. And when you are a target considered worth eliminating, the Russians can be quite effective. So, you’re moving through sensitive areas in terms of security or where local situations are volatile. In that case, it can be far more dangerous than staying in one place.

Jacobsen: What can individuals, whether journalists, activists, or civilians, do to protect their information security, location security, and physical safety from attacks of any sort?

Craiu: First, following Ukrainian laws and rules about your privacy and the information you release is a good starting point. Ukraine has devised a good system for protecting sensitive information. For example, some laws prohibit showing the location of an attack or similar sensitive information. These laws protect not only civilians but also journalists, especially when working in areas where there have been recent attacks.

We know that Russia tends to attack right after an initial strike; for instance, they might carry out a second attack 15 minutes after the first one. Sharing details, such as the location of an attack, can make you vulnerable. So, adhering to Ukrainian laws and not disclosing such information is critical.

When protecting your privacy, being mindful of small details is important. For example, if you send a video to someone, ensure the metadata does not include your location. When I was shooting videos in sensitive places like near military installations, soldiers often asked me, “Are you sure your geolocation is turned off?” This is particularly important. When soldiers use the Internet in such places, they never use their phone data. They remove their SIM cards and connect to Starlink satellites to communicate online.

It’s important to ensure that you don’t reveal your location. Use a VPN whenever possible. These precautions can help. If you suspect that spyware has been installed on your phone, reset your device immediately. This is something I learned when returning from the region. For example, I didn’t initially think the Russians would install spyware on my phone, but it happened. So, reset your phone if you think something is wrong.

Consider using a burner phone if you don’t want to take your main phone. These are simple measures, but they can be quite effective. Also, be mindful that beyond your travels in Ukraine, if you have publicly expressed a pro-Ukraine stance, especially as a Western journalist, any entry attempt into the Russian Federation or its allies could lead to them tracking you. You might be liable to arrest.

What you do after operating in Ukraine is just as important as what you do while you are there. Remember that you’redealing with people whose definitions of access and freedom of information differ from those in democracies. Even if youfollow good journalistic practices, you may still be seen as a target and an enemy of the Russian Federation, even if youreport the facts.

So, yes, that’s what I advise. I’ll keep this short since I want to be mindful of your time.

Jacobsen: What about physical safety for journalists who might be stinting in Ukraine or working undercover, perhaps entering the Russian Federation or surrounding territories? I’m thinking of actual physical safety measures. What additional measures should they take, or which ones are necessary for them, whether it involves weapons, explosions, or other safety precautions?

Craiu: Unfortunately, since this is not a period of urban fighting, it is quite dangerous to protect yourself. Of course, a critical necessity is protective gear. We’re talking about bulletproof vests, helmets, and similar equipment. These are the essentials that can provide some level of security.

Physical fitness is a plus, as you might need to make a quick getaway, depending on the situation. This may not be necessary in places like Kyiv and other big cities, but if you’re in areas closer to the front lines or trenches, you might be required to escape quickly. So, physical fitness, along with the right gear, is important. You should also be prepared for exhaustion due to tiredness, lack of food, or other resources.

For example, starting from a big city and heading toward the front lines could be at least two to three hours away from the nearest safe city. Adapting to these stressful conditions is crucial, even more so than the gear itself, because the gear may or may not help you. I also recommend having a first aid kit on hand. It can be invaluable, especially if you are travelling with a team of journalists. For example, if one person gets injured, they can often be saved effectively with items like tourniquets and supplies to stop bleeding.

Jacobsen: What about those with a history or prior condition of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or paranoia? What should they consider if they decide to travel to a war zone? Are there certain conditions under which they should not go?

Craiu: It’s important to recognize that whatever resources one may have had access to for managing mental health issues—like safe spaces or quiet environments—will likely not be available in a war zone. The first step is realizing that these resources will be missing. Given the many unpredictable factors in a conflict zone, this will play a critical role in deciding whether such a trip is feasible or advisable.

For example, even if you are operating near the Polish border, where you might think you have reasonable access to healthcare or a safe space in case of a breakdown, there are still many unpredictable elements. You might suddenly find yourself being interrogated by Ukrainian authorities to verify that you are legitimately doing your work.

They may have a lower threshold or awareness of mental health issues, especially in wartime. They might not prioritize mental health needs over their security concerns. For example, suppose you experience anxiety during an interrogation. In that case, they will unlikely send you to a hospital before confirming you are a journalist and not a spy.

These scenarios are unlikely but possible, and you need to consider them. Even in the safest areas, you may encounter stress factors that you hadn’t anticipated. Stress factors are everywhere; you cannot rely on the idea that you will always be able to retreat to an underground shelter.

For instance, if you think, “If the sirens sound, I will go to an underground shelter,” you still may not be safe. Depending on your location, alarms often go off after an attack, so they are not 100% reliable. Also, you may not always find a shelter. As someone who has lived in southeastern Ukraine for a long time, I find it very difficult to find shelters, unlike in places like Kyiv, which has an underground system. Many other areas do not have subways or extensive underground facilities.

You must be aware that you will be exposed to dangers, and following all the safety rules may be impossible. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to decide whether the risk of exposure to these stress factors is reasonable enough to undertake such a trip. A good starting point is realistic awareness that things may not go as planned and that situations can spiral out of control. If you can handle that lack of control, then that’s a good start.

Jacobsen: Excellent. Alex, thank you very much for your time today.

Craiu: Thanks for the questions. They are very good ones!

Jacobsen: Thank you.

Craiu: Excellent. Bye-bye.

Jacobsen: Bye.

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In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. ©Scott Douglas Jacobsen and In-Sight Publishing 2012-Present. Unauthorized use or duplication of material without express permission from Scott Douglas Jacobsen strictly prohibited, excerpts and links must use full credit to Scott Douglas Jacobsen and In-Sight Publishing with direction to the original content.