British news agency Reuters resumed its online broadcast from Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kyiv on Tuesday, March 4, without official permission.
The head of the Kyiv City Military Administration (KMVA), Timur Tkachenko, posted on Telegram: “No request for permission to broadcast was received. We have alerted the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine). The broadcast was promptly stopped.”
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
The livestream description indicated that the footage showed a view of Kyiv’s Independence Square “after a White House official said US President Donald Trump has paused military aid to Ukraine following his clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week.”
The video with disabled comments depicted Kyiv’s central square and flags commemorating fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
Kyiv Post reached out to Reuters for clarification on the decision to start the broadcast and whether the agency had obtained proper authorization. However, as of the publication date, no response had been received.
This is not the first instance of such a broadcast. On Feb. 18, Reuters also launched a livestream from Maidan Nezalezhnosti, installing a camera on the roof of the Ukraina Hotel. The stream was available on YouTube and remains accessible.
At the time, activist Yulia Reshitko questioned the intent behind the stream in a Facebook post: “Is this an attempt to capture air defense activity or a protest against negotiations with Russia? Has Europe grown bored and is now looking for some dramatic footage?”
UK to Speed Up Military Purchases Amid Ukraine Fallout
Tkachenko expressed gratitude to the public and media for their swift response, emphasizing that law enforcement had been informed. He added that the concerns raised by the public were taken into account, leading to the broadcast being halted.
Notably, during the full-scale war in Ukraine, certain restrictions apply to citizens, particularly regarding photography and videography. Violating these rules may result in criminal liability.
It is strictly prohibited to film or photograph areas affected by shelling, missiles in flight, or moments of impact.
Additionally, it is forbidden to capture and publish:
- The exact addresses or coordinates of combat zones
- The operation of Ukrainian air defense systems
- Photos or videos of missile strikes
- Any data on the movements and actions of Ukrainian troops
- Major military facilities or critical infrastructure
Live-streaming missile attacks or bombings is strictly prohibited, as it could aid the enemy in adjusting their fire.
In 2023, the Verkhovna Rada amended the Criminal Code to introduce penalties for the unauthorized dissemination of information about the movement of troops or military equipment.
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter
