The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine initiated a press tour to Ukraine for a group of journalists from the Republic of Türkiye, held from May 18 to 25, 2026.

The delegation comprised 14 representatives of leading Turkish media outlets, including Anadolu Agency, Demirören News Agency Anka News Agency, TRT Haber TV, Habertürk TV, A Haber TV, and CNN Türk TV. 

The purpose of the press tour was to provide truthful and objective coverage of events in Ukraine, and to familiarise the Turkish audience with the consequences of Russia's full-scale invasion.

On the night of May 24, the journalists witnessed a massive Russian attack on Kyiv, which killed 3 people and injured 91 others. They visited sites struck by Russian missiles and drones and spoke with victims and eyewitnesses.

While in Kyiv, the journalists held a series of meetings with representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, civil society, and people directly affected by Russian aggression. In particular, they met with the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, Mustafa Dzhemilev, and the Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Refat Chubarov, who spoke about the situation in temporarily occupied Crimea and the struggle of Crimean Tatars for their rights.

During a meeting with the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, the journalists learned about the European Union's practical support for Ukraine, priority reforms on the path to membership, and prospects for further deepening cooperation between Ukraine and the EU.

During a meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Olexandr Mischenko, the parties discussed the course of Russian aggression, international support for Ukraine, Türkiye's role in peace efforts and the return of prisoners of war, as well as prospects for further Ukrainian-Turkish cooperation in the political, economic and defence spheres.

While in Kyiv, the Turkish media representatives also visited the site of a Russian missile strike on a residential building in the Darnytskyi district, which occurred on May 14, 2026. At the site of the tragedy, the journalists spoke with relatives of the victims, neighbours and eyewitnesses.

The trip to the Kharkiv region gave the journalists an opportunity to see the consequences of Russian aggression against one of Ukraine's most affected regions. During a meeting with the Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, they learned about the security situation, the scale of destruction, and the challenges faced daily by residents of the region. The journalists also visited sites of Russian strikes on Kharkiv and civilian infrastructure facilities damaged as a result of the war.

As part of the trip, the Turkish media representatives visited the 429th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment "Achilles," where they learned about the work of FPV drone operators and heavy unmanned platforms actively used on the front line. A separate part of the programme was a visit to the 2nd Medical Battalion, where journalists spoke with servicemen, including Crimean Tatars, who shared their own experience of service and spoke about the unity of Ukrainian society in the fight against Russian aggression.

During the visit to the Sumy region, the journalists were able to see firsthand the scale of the consequences of Russian aggression for Ukraine's border region. During a meeting with the First Deputy Head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, they received information about the security situation, the consequences of constant shelling, and the challenges faced by local communities.

The Turkish media representatives also visited the training ground of the 21st Separate Mechanised Brigade, where they learned about the training of Ukrainian servicemen and the specific features of modern warfare. They were able to see roads protected by special nets against FPV drone attacks, which have become a characteristic feature of frontline territories. In addition, the journalists visited sites of Russian attacks in the Sumy region, spoke with local residents, and documented the consequences of strikes on civilian infrastructure.

Visiting frontline regions and cities allowed participants not only to form their own impressions of the scale and consequences of the full-scale invasion, but also to demonstrate the overall picture of Russian crimes.

As part of the press tour, the journalists also met with Ukrainian servicemen, civilian hostages released from Russian captivity, and families of prisoners of war.

The visit was organised by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Türkiye with the support of the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye.

The event was an important step in developing Ukrainian-Turkish cooperation in the media sphere and helped strengthen the presence of Ukraine-related topics in the Turkish information space.