Malyar says journalists are not allowed to enter Kherson due to safety precautions

Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Hanna Malyar, said that the ban and restrictions on the entry/exit of civilians and even journalists to the liberated Ukrainian cities are due to safety precautions. She also reminded that accredited journalists are still subject to martial law.

She wrote this on Facebook.

According to her, whenever the defense forces liberate Ukrainian cities, law enforcers are the first to enter, all civilians and even journalists are banned from entering.

"Whether journalists are permitted to effectively stay and work in the area of active hostilities is for the military to decide, based on the danger level and their combat tasks," Malyar said.

She noted that first, the SBU and the police must complete stabilization efforts and demine the area, so in the first days, civilians are banned from entering/exiting out of safety considerations and due to the need to carry out certain operational tasks.

She stressed that the enemy has mined many places in Kherson and the suburbs, and some people have already been blown up by these mines detonating. Therefore, Malyar added, the ban and restrictions on entry/exit are due to safety precautions.

She explained that later, when the safety situation is stabilized, the flag will be officially raised over the city and the civilian population will be allowed to enter/exit freely.

"This was the case in Balaklia, this was the case in Izyum, this was the case in Lyman and other liberated settlements," said Malyar.

She also reminded the readers that there is a procedure for accredited journalists to work under martial law, which is established by the UAF Commander-in-Chief's order "On the organization of cooperation between the Ukrainian Armed Forces, other components of the defense forces, and mass media representatives for the duration the legal regime of martial law." Malyar added that all journalists learn this procedure while receiving accreditation from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. She said that according to the order, violation of these rules may consitiute grounds for revoking the accreditation of a mass media representative.

As IMI reported, several media representatives who had violated the rules of working in combat zones had their work permits revoked and their press cards invalidated by the Ministry of Defense. Namely, Hromadske journalists Anastasia Stanko and Mykola Pastyko, as well as some CNN and SkyNews journalists have been stripped of their accreditation. Suspilne and Hromadske's filming crews have also been working in Kherson after the liberation of the city. The Rada channel has also done a live stream from Kherson.

The General Staff noted that the order of the UAF Commander-in-Chief No. 73, dated 03.03.2022, is delivered to all media representatives as they are being given their press card.

On November 11, on the day Kherson was liberated, Operational Command "South" announced that mass media's access to settlements that were de-occupied in November 2022 would be temporarily restricted.

"Please note that work in the settlements located in the combat zone is regulated by the order of the UAF Commander-in-Chief No. 73, dated 03.03.2022; non-compliance with this order may become grounds for a journalist's accreditation being revoked. These settlements will be accessible no sooner than the defense forces complete stabilization efforts," the military stressed.

Journalists and media CSOs demand that the accreditation revoked for reporting from Kherson be restored.