Chris Sampson will appear on Substack Live today, August 24th, 2025, at 11:00 AM Central HERE.
About Chris Sampson
Chris Sampson is a photojournalist and editor-in-chief of National Security Media, a Ukraine-based news outlet producing original reporting. Based in Ukraine, he documents the war’s devastation and the resilience of its people, telling the story of the country through the lens of his camera. His work highlights the lives, struggles, and courage of Ukrainians, bringing their stories to a global audience. His photography is available at sampsonshots.com and on Instagram.
Covering Ukraine and Russian Warfare
Sampson’s journalism focuses on Russian military operations, reporting from occupied territories, and exposing long-running propaganda campaigns against Ukraine. He advocates for the release of captive civilians, including children and defenders, collaborating with NGOs, families, and Ukrainian officials to raise awareness and drive accountability. He also works with experts and organizations on Russia’s information warfare campaigns and attends briefings on security matters regularly.
Publications and Research
Before the full-scale invasion, Sampson served as chief of research in a terrorism-focused firm, studying terrorist groups in Iraq, violent nationalist movements, and domestic extremism. From 2016 onward, his research expanded to examine Putin’s anti-Europe strategies and U.S. policy responses following Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine. He also studied the networks behind the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
He is co-author of Hacking ISIS, wrote the introduction to The Jihadi Next Door by Dr. Kimberly Mehlman-Orozco, and contributed to Putin’s Asymmetric Assault on Democracy in Russia and Europe: Implications for U.S. National Security, published by the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. He has served as lead researcher for several New York Times Bestsellers on topics including Trump, Russia, Putin’s European ambitions, and the sabotage of Ukraine by Yanukovich and Manafort.
Media Appearances
Sampson has appeared on MSNBC, CTV (Canada), BBC, GCTV (China), CheddarTV, and KyivPost, and has been interviewed on BBC, LBC, KPFT, and Canadian radio. His reporting has been cited in The Washington Post, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, BBC, and Snopes. He regularly presents on online terrorism, Russian propaganda, and the Ukraine war for organizations and law enforcement agencies.
Early Career and Radio
Sampson began his journalism career at KPFT 90.1FM in Houston in the late 1990s, producing and hosting Music Beyond Borders, a daily two-hour program connecting global music with current events. He produced specials on Tibet, Haiti, and other international topics, helped revitalize news production, trained volunteers in editing and livestreaming, and served as executive producer of Noticiero, a weekly Spanish-language news program. He also organized community workshops documenting local histories and elders’ stories.
Tracking Extremism
From the mid-2000s, Sampson focused on terrorism coverage through VeracityRadio.com, interviewing specialists such as Colonel Morris Davis, Brig. Gen. David Irving, Chaplain James Yee, and attorney Joseph Margulies.
As chief of research for nearly a decade, he monitored terrorist activity online and offline, collecting intelligence from forums, groups, cyber-attacks, and investigative reporting. He coordinated volunteer teams, tracked hackers’ methods, and helped identify and dismantle online platforms used by ISIS, Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and Neo-Nazi groups.
Music and Cultural Work
Beyond journalism, Sampson studies and performs music from India, Morocco, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and beyond. He specializes in Indian classical percussion and frame drums, learning from leading artists. He has produced concerts and instructional materials and continues to expand his collection of instruments while exploring global musical traditions.
Follow and Subscribe
To see Chris Sampson’s ongoing reporting and photography from Ukraine, and to follow stories of Ukrainians for the world, subscribe to his Substack and visit his website.