Much of the east and south Ukrainian are under Russian control. Residents use rubles, and newborns automatically receive a Russian passport. But it wasn’t enough Moscowwhich also took over the Ukrainian Internet to strengthen its control.
All phone and internet data was routed through Russian networks using submarine cables and other infrastructure built by Russia after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Moscow has blocked its residents’ access to social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), Ukrainian news sites and other sources of independent information.
He also shut down Ukrainian mobile operators, forcing Ukrainians to use Russian telephone networks. As Stas Prybidko, head of the mobile broadband department of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, points out, “the first thing a conqueror does when entering the territory of Ukraine is to disrupt the operation of digital networks.”
It was these methods that cut off Kherson, Mariupol and Melitopol from the rest of Ukraine, limiting the information of residents and excluding communication with relatives and friends.
Moreover, the digital blockade has deprived residents of one of the most powerful weapons of Ukrainian resistance: the use of social media to inform and raise awareness of the global community, especially about Russian atrocities against civilians.
Restricting internet access has allowed Moscow to monitor website visits and digital communications, and made it easier to spread propaganda and control the news that reaches residents.
While there are ways for anyone who wants to bypass obstacles using private digital networks, the measures imposed by Moscow have created a new system of censorship and surveillance in large parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine, even more stringent than that inside Russia. In Kherson, for example, any citizen who wants to purchase a SIM card for a Russian mobile number must present their passport so that the Russian military can easily find out who they are and what exactly they are going to do with the digital media.
Source: Kathimerini
Anna White is a journalist at 247 News Reel, where she writes on world news and current events. She is known for her insightful analysis and compelling storytelling. Anna’s articles have been widely read and shared, earning her a reputation as a talented and respected journalist. She delivers in-depth and accurate understanding of the world’s most pressing issues.