Moscow authorities have moved to curb almost all independent reporting on the aftermath of Ukraine’s recent drone strikes, banning residents, organisations, media, emergency services and government agencies from posting text, photos or videos about attacks on social media. The measure, announced on Wednesday by the mayor’s office, allows only Russia’s defence ministry and information channels run by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to publish such material.
The restriction was adopted by the capital’s Anti-Terrorism Commission, the mayoral statement said, and is intended “to prevent the dissemination of false information.” It comes as Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone strikes on Moscow this month, including attacks in the run-up to Russia’s annual Victory Day parade that have put renewed focus on the capital’s security and resilience against aerial incursions.
Fines have been set for breaches: individuals face penalties of up to 5,000 rubles (about $67), officials up to 50,000 rubles (roughly $670) and legal entities up to 200,000 rubles (around $2,700), according to the mayoral announcement. The regulation explicitly names emergency services and government bodies among those barred from publishing footage or commentary without authorisation, tightening controls on sources that have previously posted real-time images and video from strike sites.
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Official information about damage caused by drone attacks in Moscow has typically been limited, and videos shot by residents have become a primary means for open-source investigators, researchers and Ukrainian units to confirm and verify reports of strikes. Recent amateur footage showed damage to a luxury high-rise about four miles from the Kremlin, with debris across a main street and emergency vehicles gathered late at night — an example of the kind of material now prohibited for public release by most actors.
The new Moscow rules echo similar restrictions introduced elsewhere in the region. In March, the United Arab Emirates announced penalties for filming or posting footage of Iranian drone strikes that could include heavy fines, deportation for foreigners and jail terms. Moscow’s measure follows other domestic steps taken during previous waves of attacks, when authorities temporarily closed some airports and throttled mobile internet services in an effort to disrupt drone navigation.
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The mayor’s office framed the move as an anti-disinformation step, but it is likely to curtail independent reporting and the flow of raw visual evidence from the ground. Analysts and verification specialists have relied on citizen-sourced images and videos to piece together the timing, targets and impact of strikes in near real time; centralising authorised releases with defence and city channels will limit that independent stream of information. Moscow’s announcement did not specify the mechanism for granting permission to publish or the timeframe during which the restrictions will remain in force.
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