There should be more front line information – Zelensky

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has discussed the issue of journalists' access to the front line with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. He said so in his December 20 video address.

"Having many meetings. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense. A very important issue of communication around the war, our defense, the front line events in general. Access to the front line for journalists. Changes have been prepared – there should be more front line information," the President said.

Earlier, the Institute of Mass Information submitted the basic provisions regulating the accreditation-related cooperation between journalists and the military to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

On February 27, 2023, the UAF Commander-in-Chief's Decree No. 73 on working with the mass media under martial law was amended. According to the amended version, journalists would only receive accreditation for up to six months, and the front line area would be divided into three access zones for media workers: "green", "yellow", and "red".

The Media Movement, Ukrainian and international journalists said that the new excessive restrictions on the work of the media under martial law were unacceptable and called for the immediate normalization of the situation with access to covering the hostilities and their aftermath.