Military command outlines the "red", "yellow" and "green" working zones for journalists in the South

Photo: OC "South"

The command of the operational and strategic group of troops "Odesa" has outlined the three working zones for journalists of accredited mass media – the "red", the "yellow" and the "green" – in the areas under the group's jurisdiction. The zoning came into effect on March 20.

The Operational Command "South" announced this on Facebook.

Accredited reporters are prohibited from working in the "red zone". This zone includes:

Odesa oblast – the Snake Island, the area bordering Transnistria (the municipalities to be specified at the press center); Vinnytsia oblast – the border area (the municipalities to be specified at the press center); in the de-occupied territories: Mykolaiv oblast (Lupareve, Lymany, Prybuzke, Lyubomirivka, Kiselyvka, Novopetrivka, Snigurivka); Kherson oblast – the coastal strip of territorial hromadas (the municipalities to be specified at the press center) and specific zones within the territorial hromadas of Posad-Pokrovske, Pravdyne, Davydiv Brid, Mala Oleksandrivka, Vysokopillya, as well as a strip of municipalities on both sides of the Ingulets; Dnipropetrovsk oblast – the territorial hromadas along the shore of the Kakhovka reservoir, reaching the border of the oblast.

The "red zone" also includes all critical and military infrastructure facilities, sea and river ports, regardless of their location.

In the "yellow zone", accredited media representatives are allowed to work if escorted by a public relations officer or another official designated by the commander. This zone includes: Kherson (except the southern part); municipalities in Mykolaiv oblast: Mykolaiv, Balovne, Nova Odesa, Yelanets, Novovasylivka, Olgopil, Bereznehuvatske, Rozanivka, Novooleksandrivka, Dmytrivka, Novoskelyuvatka, Mykhailivka, Novolazarivka, Troitsko-Safonove, Zorya, Lepetyha, Bila Krynytsia, Chervona Dolyna, Pervomayske, Voskresenske, as well as the territories of the Ochakiv and Kutsurub hromadas; Dnipropetrovsk oblast: Zelenodolsk, Apostolove, Mykhailo-Zavodske; Odesa oblast: the territorial hromadas along the Danube spanning from the Bystre mouth to Reni, the coast of the Black Sea and the estuaries.

Accredited media representatives are allowed to work in the "green zone" unaccompanied by a public relations officer or other official designated by the commander. This zone includes: Kirovohrad oblast – Bobrynets, Kropyvnytsky, Kamianka, Svitlovodsk, the municipalities downstream along the right bank of the Dnipro; Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson oblasts (save for the localities and objects in the "red" and "yellow" zones); Vinnytsia oblast (with the exception of the "red zone" on the border).

As noted by the OC "South", if a media representative violates the working procedure and does not stay in the designated zone, measures will be taken to deprive them of accreditation.

Journalists living in the "yellow" and "red" zone municipalities should contact the joint coordination press center of the southern Ukraine defense forces to coordinate their work.

As IMI reported, on February 27, UAF Commander-in-Chief's Decree No. 73 regarding engagement with the mass media during martial law was amended. According to the changes, journalists will only receive accreditation for a period of up to six months, and the frontline area will now be divided into three access zones for media workers.

Earlier, representatives of the media community proposed to create a task force at the President's Office to improve the way their engagement with the military is regulated, and submitted their proposals on improving communication between journalists and the military to the UAF General Staff.

On March 20, the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration outlined the three zones for journalists of accredited media outlets in region – the "red", the "yellow" and the "green".