“Strengthening of control over the information of enemy’s intelligence concern,” AFU specifies work of journalists in hostilities zone

Restrictions on the work of media representatives in the zones of hostilities are exclusively related to the control of information that is of the enemy’s intelligence interest.

This was reported by the Head of the Public Relations Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), Bohdan Senyk, in response to a letter from the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) regarding restrictions on the work of media representatives in the zones of hostilities.

“The Public Relations Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on the instructions of the Head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, within the scope of competence and together with designated co-executives, has considered your letter regarding the restrictions on the work of media representatives in combat areas,” the reply letter says. “It is reported that the relevant order on the security of the use of troops (forces) defined the task of strengthening control over information of interest to the enemy’s intelligence, as well as preventing unauthorized access of media representatives to the areas of hostilities and the transfer of photo and video materials to third parties. Additional measures limiting the work of media representatives in the areas of hostilities were not determined.”

As earlier reported, in August, the NUJU received appeals from accredited journalists regarding strict restrictions on the work of mass media at the front. The NUJU, as a professional organization protecting the interests and rights of journalists, officially appealed to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with a request to clarify the situation. However, after a few days of a complete ban on journalists’ access to the front line, the Strategic Communications Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine published an announcement on the resumption of the working order for processing requests from accredited journalists.

The NUJU welcomes the prompt response to the requests of representatives of the national and international media and hopes that the interaction of the Armed Forces with the mass media will continue to contribute to drawing the world’s attention to the heroic struggle of Ukrainians against the occupiers.

NUJU Information Service