Journalists Covering The Russian War In Ukraine Take Additional Precautions
Reporters covering Russia's war in Ukraine, which has entered its third month and reveals a growing number of atrocities, are taking a more cautious approach.
The International Press Institute (IPI) reports that several journalists have been killed and dozens more wounded, either by incoming fire or by being shot at while on assignment, since February 24, according to media groups.
Approximately 20 journalists in Ukraine may have been killed, according to the national union of journalists in Ukraine. This figure includes those deaths for which the circumstances of the death have yet to be identified.
Authorities in Russia have attempted to control all news coverage, issuing laws and directives to local media on how to cover the conflict, and forcing the few independent outlets remaining to shut down or relocate.
Agentstvo, a Russian investigative news site, estimates that more than 150 journalists have left Russia since the end of February. Foreign media entering the country are subject to stringent visa requirements, as announced by the government last week.
Deputy Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Ivanov said the decision was made in response to actions taken by the European Union and other countries that make it more difficult for Russian businesses to obtain visas.
Roskomnadzor, the country's media regulatory agency, has blocked access to several news networks including the Russian Service of VOA, the BBC, and others.
Moscow passed in March a law imposing a 15-year prison term on those who spread what it considers false news about the military. Several journalists and activists have already been charged under the law.
Several options, including the use of Virtual Private Networks, as well as other approaches, such as shortwave, are in play to combat these blocks. Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, for instance, has provided mirror sites to several blocked news sites in Russia to ensure information remains accessible. Mirror sites are copies of original websites that can be accessed through a VPN service in order to circumvent censorship and blocking.
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