newspaper front page

By Brad Needham

After months of threats, of world leaders warning an invasion of Ukraine was imminent, one year ago today, Feb. 24, 2022, Russia began an unprovoked war. Many thought the super power would roll over Ukraine. But one year later the war continues, with surprisingly little change, other than the tragic and large-scale loss of life on both sides and massive destruction in Ukraine. One year ago, the invasion dominated newspaper front pages. It dominated it for weeks. But, as happens with long-running stories, it started to fall off the front, and move inside newspapers, or down media home pages. Certain events would bring it back to the front. Media have tried to keep the war in the collective consciousness. Today, one year since the invasion, the sombre anniversary has brought the war back to newspaper front pages all over the world.

As I Tweeted out a few pages today, as a journalist, for a second, I debated the hashtag #RussiaInvadedUkraine, worried about showing bias. But reporting facts is not bias. Russia invaded Ukraine. And newspapers have not shied away from that.

Today, Poland delivered the first Leopard tank to Ukraine. Most of the world still stands behind Ukraine.

Here is a selection of some of the stronger front pages marking the anniversary.

Jyllands-Posten front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Viby, Denmark

Dagens Nyheter front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Stockholm

The New York Times front page, Feb. 24, 2023

Newspaper front pages from when the war began

Toronto Star front page, Feb. 24, 2023

Augsburger Allgemeine front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Augsburg, Germany

Het Financieele Dagblad front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Amsterdam

National Post front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Canada

Folha De S.Paulo front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Sao Paulo, Brazil

De Morgen front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Brussels

Algemeen Dagblad front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Luxemburger Wort front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

de Volkskrant front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Amsterdam

Der Tagesspiegel front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Berlin

Ara front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Barcelona, Spain

Kleine Zeitung front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Graz, Austria

The Indianapolis Star front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

By Brad Needham

As Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine entered its first full day, we got to see how newspapers around the world displayed to their readers what was happening. Big, powerful photos (three stood out as the most commonly used) big, bold, powerful headlines. When events like this happen (though there hasn’t been an equivalent to this in a long time) we see a lot of similar ideas. We also see the power of newspapers.

Below is a selection of powerful newspaper front pages. I have chosen the ones that almost made me gasp. The power of print will never be lost on me, especially in times of crisis.

Newspapers in Canada

The photo used by National Post was seen on papers throughout the world and there are more that use it below. The Toronto Star and Globe and Mail used the same photo and the Globe and National Post used nearly the same headline, about Ukraine standing alone.

The faces of war

When war strikes, we see the casualties on front pages. The injured. The common person. Sometimes the dead. This woman was on papers all over the world, either this pic or a similar one, as seen on the National Post cover, and below. As the woman further down was also common on a lot of pages. This is what war looks like.

De Morgan, Feb. 25, 2022 (Brussels, Belgium)

de Volkstrant, Feb. 25, 2022 (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Dagens Nyheter, Feb. 25, 2022 (Stockholm, Sweded)

Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten, Feb. 25, 2022 (Viby, Denmark)

Others from the U.S. and around the world

And other newspapers made different choices. Here are a few more compelling pages from around the world.

Atlanta Journal Constitution, Feb. 25, 2022

Politiken, Feb. 25, 2022 (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Spokesman Review, Feb. 25, 2022 (Spokane, Wash.)

Morgunbladid, Feb. 25, 2022 (Reykjavik, Iceland)

Metro, Feb. 25, 2022 (*São Paulo*, Brazil)

Der Tagesspiegel, Feb. 25, 2022 (Germany)

It was a big news day in Minneapolis as news also came out about the George Floyd case, another story that has caught the world’s attention over the past nearly two years. The editors had to balance a huge local story with the biggest international story.

Star Tribune, Feb. 25, 2022 (Minneapolis, Minn.)

Sadly I am sure there will be many more pages like this over the coming days and weeks. War is brutal. War is ugly. Hopefully newspapers around the world can help hold Russia to account. To show the world, to capture for history, the brutality of this unnecessary war.

Covers in a dangerous time

On the front page: War in Ukraine, one year later

War in Ukraine: how newspapers handled their front pages

Newspapers in Canada

The faces of war

Others from the U.S. and around the world