In the Kaluga region, fines will begin for posting photos and videos of “arrivals”

The Kaluga Region Legislative Assembly on Thursday amended the local code of administrative offences by adding an article establishing liability for failure to comply with decisions of the regional operational headquarters. As explained by the head of the operational headquarters, Governor Vladislav Shapsha, “this also concerns the ban on publishing information, photographs and videos of enemy drones in the media and on social networks.” Shapsha did not specify when a similar ban was established in the Kaluga region.

According to the amendments, publication of the consequences of drone strikes will result in a fine of 3,000-4,000 rubles for individuals, 30,000-40,000 rubles for officials, and 80,000-100,000 rubles for legal entities. For a repeated violation, you will have to pay 4,000-5,000 rubles, 40,000-50,000 rubles, and 150,000-200,000 rubles, respectively. “Similar decisions have already been taken in a number of regions. Please provide such information (on “arrivals”). “oh”) is necessary in the security forces,” Vladislav Shapsha added.

Recall that after a series of Ukrainian UAV attacks on Moscow in the summer of 2023, a group of senators prepared a bill on administrative and criminal liability for the publication of any information revealing the location of Russian troops and proving the use of military equipment and the consequences of enemy attacks. However, the document was never submitted to the State Duma, as the Kremlin raised “the issue of the balance between the protection of information and its freedom” (see Kommersant of March 12). In particular, the adoption of such a law could complicate the life of military officers.

Subsequently, governors began to introduce bans at the regional level, through operational headquarters, simultaneously establishing administrative liability for failure to comply with these decisions. At first, this was done in the Kursk and Leningrad regions (see Kommersant of April 8), and a little later – in St. Petersburg.

On September 18, administrative responsibility was imposed on Bashkiria for failure to comply with the decisions of the operational headquarters. According to the State Assembly (Parliament) of the republic, this was done in order to protect the territory and the population from emergency situations “and to meet the needs of the armed forces.” However, the republican operational headquarters has not yet banned publication of the consequences of the Ukrainian attacks.

Andrey Prah