[d_theorist]

What is meant by "civil society" in this article?

[mopsi]

Major public organizations and interest groups (such as the EFF, ACLU or AARP) that are independent from the state:

  Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere. By other authors, civil society is used in the sense of 1) the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that advance the interests and will of citizens or 2) individuals and organizations in a society which are independent of the government.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_society

[praptak]

I believe Wikipedia has a good overview, in particular "the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that advance the interests and will of citizens" is probably the definition that best matches the one used in the article.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_society

[nonameiguess]

It would appear the targets are all journalists. I think they're using this phrasing to denote that they're civilians.

[lupusreal]

"Civil society" implies the existence of uncivil people; it's good guys vs bad guys, not civilian vs military. If Ukraine targeted civilian organizations in Russia, the headline wouldn't call it an attack on "civil society" (but Russian media might.)

[swifthesitation]

civilians

[eli_gottlieb]

NGOs.