Ukraine videos show with vivid realism that social media is how we see war now

For all its volatility, social media posting during conflict, known in an earlier era by the more academia-friendly term citizen journalism, has become the most trusted source of raw information. As some media outlets eschew journalism in favor of content that feels more like propaganda, cell phone video from Twitter, Instagram, and even TikTok has become the new first draft of history. Even with misinformation attempts, social media is how most of the world understands war.

The ballooning invasion of Ukraine by Russian military is the most potent example yet of how social media is used to document conflict, if it's not fomenting revolution.

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According to a recent Gallup survey, the percentage of U.S. citizens with no trust in the mass media hit a record high in 2020: Only 9 percent of respondents said they trust the mass media "a great deal" and a full 60 percent said they have little to "no trust at all" in it.

The Edelman Trust Barometer 2021 report points out that 56 percent of Americans agree with the statement that journalists and reporters are purposely trying to mislead people by saying things that they know are false, and 58 percent think that most news organizations are more concerned with supporting an ideology than with informing the public.

As a new crisis is at hand, with the Russian military striking inside the Ukrainian border after months of troop build-up, we're witnessing Europe's "darkest hours" since World War II, in the words of one EU foreign affairs leader.

Most of us witnessing these events will get our news from social media sources instead of media outlets, which might thread in propaganda or present the news from an openly biased perspective.

Using Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook is only one part of a balanced media diet, even with the pitfalls of misinformation. Below are the videos that show how the war is playing out on phones across the globe:

Українські війська збили російський штурмовик Су-25, який намагався прорватися з боку Білорусі - пілот капутулювався і зараз Нацгвардія здійснює спецоперацію з його затримання.
Найближчим часом відбудеться брифінгу на якому покажуть захоплених російських льотчиків - Ділан Малясов pic.twitter.com/FSc0NjnE9M

— Промисловий Портал (@ua_industrial) February 24, 2022

A video of Ukrainian troops shooting down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft that was trying to break through from Belarus.

Аеродром Гостомель під Києвом. Бій з росіянами pic.twitter.com/yMyQBa9znk

— Новинарня (@Novynarnia) February 24, 2022

Footage from Gostomel airfield near Kyiv shows military helicopters flying towards a recently bombed area.

У Мелітополі обстрілюють аеродром pic.twitter.com/0M1rjidrDj

— Алчевськ UA?? (@AlchevskUA) February 24, 2022

A social media post sharing an airfield is being shelled in Melitopol.

Ще одна колона втрат російських окупантів pic.twitter.com/nVjCQJSAJK

— Алчевськ UA?? (@AlchevskUA) February 24, 2022

A video showing destroyed Russian tanks on the side of the road.

Миг-29 и Су-25 під Київ pic.twitter.com/sFbWT6yGRc

— Ridnа_Vilnа 33% ?? (@ua_ridna_vilna) February 24, 2022

Footage of Russian aircrafts, MiG-29 and Su-25 flying near Kyiv.

Охтирка Сумська Область? pic.twitter.com/lJP5UbIQyG

— Sлavko Sлavkoviч (@Viaches50993743) February 24, 2022

Russian tanks wandering around Okhtyrka Sumy Region.

Росія нанесла потужний удар по місту #Мелітополь pic.twitter.com/XLLSwBe9pf

— Vse dobre, prosto ja žyvu v Ukrajini ? (@Alex_Flib) February 24, 2022

Russian airstrike in the city of Melitopol.

Українка, під Києвом pic.twitter.com/F1etfhhcQs

— Сергій ???? (@serjik985) February 24, 2022

Another video of a Russian airstrike near Kyiv.

Під Гостомелем!!! Пошкоджений Російський гелікоптер! pic.twitter.com/vjJQiq7Owo

— ЗС УКРАЇНИ (@ArmedForcesUkr) February 24, 2022

Footage of a damaged Russian helicopter, which was probably shot down by Ukrainian forces.

знищена ординська техніка на дорозі до Харкова#путінхуйло #росіяАгресор pic.twitter.com/epGcQbKG6V

— Злий Конопляний Джмелик (@DimSel007) February 24, 2022

Footage of destroyed Russian military equipment on the way to Kharkiv.

Гостомель. За попередньою інформацією вертоліт був "не наш" pic.twitter.com/CSBanMKzOY

— Vyacheslav Kasim (@VyacheslavKasim) February 24, 2022

A Russian helicopter getting shot in the city of Gostomel.

Олешки, Херсонська область, Україна

24.02.2022, ~14:00

Нижче буде ще одне відео#путінхуйло#StopRussianAggression pic.twitter.com/9ajSGlycf7

— Sprechenfuehrer (67%) (@SprechenFuehrer) February 24, 2022

Another video of the Russian military making its way to the city of Oleshki, Kherson region, Ukraine.

Харків pic.twitter.com/eP68fLuF2H

— bo taty (@vbobber1) February 24, 2022

Explosions were heard in the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Десант РФ намагався висадитись на аеродром Гостомель. Три вертольоти знищено, триває бій pic.twitter.com/6Y6hpKro74

— НВ (@tweetsNV) February 24, 2022

Helicopters shooting air to land missiles in the city of Gostomel. 

We will see how media outlets write their stories about the Russian occupation in Ukraine after seeing the social media posts shared by Ukrainian citizens and local news sources.