RBC reports Russia orders police not to identify themselves as law enforcement on social media

Source: RBC

Russian police officers have been ordered not to identify themselves as law enforcement on social media or messaging apps, the Russian business news outlet RBC and the news agency Ura.ru reported, citing sources.

The ban covers posting photos and videos of Interior Ministry officers in uniform and any mention of their place of work.

Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev issued the order, which applies to all units of the ministry, sources at both outlets said.

The reason, they said, is a rise in recruitment attempts by foreign intelligence services targeting police officers. “It is precisely these increasingly frequent cases that prompted the new measures,” a source told Ura.ru.

Officers will also be required to undergo special training on how to respond when approached by recruiters. Under the instructions, an officer who is contacted should play along and feign interest, then immediately report the approach to Russia’s Federal Security Service, the FSB.

In August 2023, Russia passed a law barring National Guard personnel from publishing photos and videos of themselves, their colleagues, or their families in the media or online — specifically images that could be used to determine their location. Similar restrictions had been in place for military personnel since 2019.

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RBC reports Russia orders police not to identify themselves as law enforcement on social media

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RBC reports Russia orders police not to identify themselves as law enforcement on social media

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