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In response to increasing Ukrainian offensives, Russian authorities are advising residents in vulnerable regions to exercise caution with surveillance cameras and social media usage. The concern is that these technologies could be exploited by Ukrainian forces for intelligence gathering.
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) has issued a warning that Ukrainian forces have been remotely accessing unprotected CCTV cameras, gaining visibility into everything from private properties to strategically important highways. This has raised alarms about the potential for these feeds to be used in planning attacks or monitoring military movements.
Furthermore, Ukraine is reportedly utilizing dating apps and social platforms such as VKontakte, Telegram, and Instagram to gather intelligence and identify the locations of users, including Russian soldiers. In light of these threats, the MVD strongly advises against posting dashcam footage on social media or live-streaming while traveling on highways that may also be used by military convoys. Such videos could inadvertently reveal critical information to the enemy.
Employees in sensitive sectors, including energy and nuclear facilities, are being urged to remove any professional affiliations from their social media profiles to avoid drawing the attention of Ukrainian intelligence services. Similarly, Russian military personnel in the affected regions are advised to exercise extreme caution when using the Telegram messaging app, with recommendations to disable features that could expose their location or personal information to Ukrainian forces.
In an earlier move, Russia enacted legislation in July that allows military commanders to detain soldiers for up to ten days if caught using personal mobile phones in the combat zone. The law prohibits the use of electronic devices capable of storing and transmitting audio, photo, or video content, as well as geolocation data. These restrictions are part of a broader effort to prevent the online dissemination of sensitive information related to Russian military operations.
The heightened alert comes as Ukraine initiated an offensive operation inside Russian territory, beginning with the Kursk region earlier this month. Ukrainian forces have reportedly gained control of over 1,000 square kilometers and several Russian settlements. In response, the Russian government has declared a “counter-terrorist operation” in the Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod regions, with plans to establish military units to defend settlements along the border.
Adding to the tensions, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) recently hacked into the servers of several Russian television channels, broadcasting war footage from Kursk. Despite these developments, Russian independent media reports indicate that state propaganda outlets have been instructed to downplay the significance of Ukraine’s incursions while preparing the public for a prolonged conflict in reclaiming the occupied territories.
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