Donetsk OMA urges media to get accredited, notify them of plans to report from the region

The Donetsk Oblast Military Administration (DMA) has called on media outlets planning to work in the region to obtain accreditation by filling out a form with information about their plans, as per the DMA's Facebook post.

“This information is necessary to keep track of which municipality the journalists are in, so that in the event of a threat to their life or health the police or local military administration staff can promptly provide assistance and, if necessary, evacuate them to a safe place,” the DMA explained.

Photo by Savelife.in.ua

The administration also reminded that in order to work in frontline communities, journalists need not just to fill out the form but also to to notify the press officers of the troop units stationed in the area of their work.

The Donetsk Oblast Military Administration stressed that:

• information must be submitted by 18:00;
• all representatives of the media crew must have press IDs issued by the Ministry of Defense, including the driver, the security guards, and the fixer;
• the journalists must clearly indicate the date and destination of their trip;
• the journalists must list the current phone number of the crew's leader or fixer.

Contact person: Nadiya Masyuchenko, Deputy Head of the Press Office of the Strategic Communications Department at the Donetsk Oblast State Administration, tel.: 066 869 97 35 or 099 708 87 20.

The Donetsk OMA reminds that the Russian troops shell Donetsk oblast with all types of weapons about 3 thousand times daily. Moreover, instances of FPV drones targeting civilian vehicles have become more frequent.

Read more about the combat area reporting regulations in the IMI's explainer of the amendments to Decree No. 73.