Don Residents Threatened With Treason for Drone Footage

Residents of Rostov Region may face criminal liability under the article on high treason for publishing footage of the aftermath of a drone attack. This follows from a post on the Telegram channel of Svetlana Kambulova, the head of Taganrog.

It refers to a decree by the governor that has been in effect since August. Under it, it is forbidden to film and publish in the media or on the internet the use and aftermath of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the operation of air defense and electronic warfare systems, and the deployment and activities of the military. The ban does not apply to government authorities or materials obtained from official sources.

In her post, Kambulova reminded of the existence of such a decree and the ban on distributing footage and other information about the aftermath of attacks: «The authors of such materials will be held accountable.»

Violators face fines under the article «Failure to comply or improper compliance with measures within the framework of the medium response level introduced in Rostov Region» of the regional code on administrative offenses. Individuals may be fined 3,000–5,000 rubles (at current rates, $33–$56), officials — 20,000–40,000 rubles ($222–$444), and legal entities — 200,000–400,000 rubles ($2,200–$4,400).

«In some cases, individuals who have published prohibited materials may be criminally liable for high treason,» the post says.

The press service of the Taganrog administration explained to a 161.RU correspondent: «The post referred to Decree No. 181 of the Governor of Rostov Region dated 8 August 2025. <…> Nevertheless, in particularly serious cases, filming enemy UAVs may result in Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation «High Treason.» Determining the severity of consequences is the competence of federal authorities.»