New restrictions have come into force in Ingushetia, banning the filming and distribution of images and videos showing the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the consequences of their crashes.
The decree was signed by Ingush Head Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov on 11 July, though its contents were only made public on Wednesday.
According to the decree, it is now forbidden to record or publish in any form any images or videos of drone strikes, their aftermath, or military infrastructure. The ban also covers the publication of information related to communication systems, energy infrastructure, industrial and utility sites, bridges, and other critical facilities.
If the site of a drone crash or landing is discovered, it is prohibited to approach the object, to use mobile phones nearby due to the risk of detonation, or to post anything on social media. Violations of the decree may result in administrative penalties.
‘The data you distribute may be used for extremist purposes’, the official announcement warned residents.
Citizens of Ingushetia are also being encouraged to report individuals who take photos or videos of drones or the consequences of their use to law enforcement authorities.
On the morning of 26 July, a UAV fell onto a private home in the village of Nizhniye Achaluki, in Ingushetia’s Malgobek district. Four people were injured, including three children. The Ingush Health Ministry reported that all victims were taken to hospital and were in stable condition. Later, the Russian Ministry of Defence stated that air defence systems had shot down a drone over Ingushetia. Photos and videos of the aftermath were circulated online. This was the first incident of its kind in Ingushetia since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began over three years ago.
On the night of 31 July–1 August, several regions in the North Caucasus also issued UAV threat alerts, including Daghestan, Kabarda-Balkaria, and North Ossetia.
In North Ossetia, the drone threat alert was accompanied by reduced mobile internet speeds. The region’s head, Sergei Menyailo, stated that the slowdown was due to security measures. An official update from the Unified State System for Emergency Prevention and Response in Daghestan also warned of possible internet disruptions.
In the final weeks of July, similar reports of drone attack threats appeared almost nightly, though actual attacks rarely occurred. According to a report from the Russian Ministry of Defence, 32 Ukrainian UAVs were destroyed or intercepted across Russian regions during the night of 31 July–1 August. No air defence systems were reportedly activated in the North Caucasus Federal District.
Elizaveta Chukharova
