Dmytro Lytvyn (journalist)

Dmytro Volodymyrovych Lytvyn (born 14 May 1984, Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR) is a Ukrainian journalist, political commentator, and speechwriter who has been described by several media outlets as having held pro-Russian views and engaging in pro-Russian propaganda in the early stages of his career. Since September 2024, he has served as a Communications Adviser to the President of Ukraine. He is known as one of the principal speechwriters for Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Early in his career, Lytvyn held pro-Russian political positions: he publicly supported the Kharkiv Pact, defended the policies of then-president Viktor Yanukovych, and expressed scepticism toward the Ukrainian journalists' movement Stop Censorship!. He worked for the pro-Russian television channel Inter (2012–2021) and collaborated with political consultants linked to Russia.

Early life

Lytvyn was born on 14 May 1984 in Kyiv. He grew up in the central Kyiv district of Lypky, a neighbourhood traditionally associated with the Soviet-era party elite and cultural intelligentsia. He attended Kyiv Lyceum No. 51, studying in a humanities-focused programme; his graduating class was the last in the school where instruction was conducted in the Russian language.

In 2001, Lytvyn enrolled at the State University of Trade and Economics, where he studied law. Although he later said that jurisprudence did not interest him, he completed the programme in 2006 and received a law degree. According to his own accounts, he never worked a single day in the legal profession.

Journalism career

Lytvyn began his career as a blogger on LiveJournal and Tumblr, and later published articles for the media outlets Telekritika and LB.ua. Since 2010, he has been known as a political columnist noted for his criticism of the media and for expressing unconventional or contrarian views.

During this period, he wrote favourably about the 2010 Kharkiv Pact, defended the policies of then-president Viktor Yanukovych, and criticised the opposition's protest rhetoric. Lytvyn also mocked what he described as "embroidered-shirt nationalism" among some Ukrainians. In one of his columns, he referred to Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Putin, and Joseph Stalin as "effective leaders for their respective societies", while arguing that former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko was not. He also claimed that Yanukovych's reversal of the 2004 political reform and the expansion of presidential powers were not problematic but rather "opposition exaggerations".

In 2011, Lytvyn briefly collaborated with the online project Revizor.ua, which, according to media reports, was associated with Russian political technologist Semyon Uralov, pro-Russian propagandist Oleksandr Chalenko, and controversial Ukrainian political consultant Volodymyr Petrov.

During the Presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, Lytvyn was an outspoken critic of the journalists' movement Stop Censorship!. He published multiple Facebook posts and columns on Left Bank arguing that "anti-censorship activists defend not freedom of speech, but the repressive function of the media". A few days later, his remarks were echoed almost verbatim by Aliona Berezovska, a journalist at the pro-Yanukovych outlet Obozrevatel.

In 2012–2021, Lytvyn worked for the television channel Inter, which was controlled by oligarch Dmytro Firtash and politicians from the pro-Russian circle of Serhiy Lyovochkin. He served as an editor of political programmes under the direction of Russian television host Yevgeny Kiselyov.

According to Detector Media, during his time at Inter Lytvyn also worked with Russian political technologist Ihor Shuvalov, who formally served as deputy development director of the "National Information Systems" media holding.

Political activity

In 2018–2019, Lytvyn actively defended Volodymyr Zelenskyy and sharply criticised then-president Petro Poroshenko in social media posts and opinion columns.

In early 2020, Lytvyn was brought into the governing team by Servant of the People MP Yevheniya Kravchuk, who at the time worked on media communications within the party together with Deputy Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Tymoshenko.

In April 2020, Mykhailo Podolyak became an anti-crisis adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, prompting a restructuring of the presidential communications system. Lytvyn began to be more actively involved in the team's work. In January 2021, he left the television channel Inter. According to Babel, Lytvyn was increasingly invited to internal media-strategy meetings attended by Podolyak, presidential press secretary Sergii Nykyforov, senior adviser to Andriy Yermak Daria Zarivna, the head of the Directorate for Information Policy Iryna Pobedonostseva, and other participants depending on the situation.

After the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Lytvyn joined the team of the Office of the President of Ukraine without holding an official position, assisting in the preparation of presidential speeches and in coordinating communications. He later became one of the key authors of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's public addresses.

On 8 September 2024, he was formally appointed Communications Adviser to the President of Ukraine.

Political views

Attitude toward Yanukovych

In his publications of the early 2010s, Lytvyn expressed positive assessments of the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, describing the first year of his term as "successful" and claiming that it demonstrated "excellent results of his presidency".

Attitude toward the Armed Forces of Ukraine

In his posts, Lytvyn published derogatory remarks about the Armed Forces of Ukraine, referring to them as "packs of camouflage-clad bandits".

Controversies

Conflict with Ukrainska Pravda

In October 2024, the editorial board of Ukrainska Pravda stated that the Office of the President of Ukraine had exerted "systemic pressure" on the outlet, including blocking officials' comments, pressuring advertisers, and excluding the newspaper from the pool of media invited to official events. The publication reported that it was Lytvyn who "issued prohibitions" on contacting journalists.

The media advocacy group Media Movement and several journalist organisations appealed to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanding an end to pressure on the outlet.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) publicly called on the Ukrainian authorities twice — in October and December 2024 — to stop intimidating journalists and ensure free media work.

Lytvyn denied the accusations, claiming that "there is no blacklist of media" in the Office of the President and that he may offer advice to officials but "cannot forbid communication".

According to the outlet Censor.NET, in January 2025, MP Maryana Bezuhla of the Servant of the People party claimed that Lytvyn had "previously been active in the LGBT community". In the same post, Bezuhla described LGBT identity as a "psychophysiological deviation".

Lytvyn publicly urged her "not to insult people" and to speak more carefully about LGBT issues. During the exchange, the MP directly asked him: "Are you [...]?"

Lytvyn neither confirmed nor denied involvement in LGBT activism, limiting his public response to condemning discriminatory statements.

Other incidents

In May 2024, Lytvyn sharply criticised journalist Yuriy Butusov, calling him "an [...] feeding on Russian propaganda". He later stated that he "had the right to emotions" but did not apologise, emphasising that the remark was made before his appointment.

According to Babel.ua, Lytvyn was also the official who blocked an interview requested by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, with a major media outlet.

Criticism

In an October 2024 publication by Ukrainska Pravda titled "The Country (Does Not) Need Lytvyn...", the work of Dmytro Lytvyn was described as "the most striking personnel crisis in the government". According to the outlet, during the first days of the Russian invasion, Lytvyn became the only member of the technical media team physically present next to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, helping formulate key messages for his public addresses. This significantly strengthened his influence and turned him into one of the president's principal speechwriters. His role expanded further after the departure of Yurii Kostiuk and Kyrylo Tymoshenko from the communications team, as well as the increasing isolation of Mykhailo Podolyak in his public engagements.

At the same time, Ukrainska Pravda reported that, beyond drafting speeches, Lytvyn attempted to impose strict control over the president's information policy. The publication alleged that he issued directives down the governmental hierarchy prohibiting officials and security officers from communicating with UP journalists, removed the outlet from invitation lists for presidential events, and personally called officials who ignored these restrictions.

The article noted that such actions could contain elements of criminal offences, ranging from obstruction of journalistic activity (Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) to abuse of office or interference in the work of a state official. According to the publication, because Lytvyn did not officially possess such authority, his demands could expose civil servants to potential legal liability.

Role and influence within the presidential circle

According to The New Voice of Ukraine, Dmytro Lytvyn is part of President Zelenskyy's close inner circle and is one of the key figures responsible for communication strategy within the Office of the President. Journalists note that, after the start of the full-scale invasion, only those who were physically present next to the president during the most critical moments remained in this circle — including Lytvyn.

NV describes him as "the person who turns the president's thoughts into public texts". Sources within the Servant of the People parliamentary faction characterise Lytvyn as one of the most influential advisers, shaping both tone and content of the Office of the President's media messaging.

The outlet also reports that Lytvyn's influence periodically declined due to internal staffing changes but eventually returned, restoring his role as the president's principal communications adviser with direct access to Zelenskyy.

Responsibility for sanctions lists involving Ukrainian citizens

According to MP Oleksiy Honcharenko of the European Solidarity party, Lytvyn was responsible for compiling NSDC sanctions lists relating to Ukrainian citizens. Honcharenko claimed that journalist Svitlana Kryukova was included in the latest sanctions package specifically on Lytvyn's recommendation.

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