North Ossetia’s parliament has approved amendments to the law on administrative offences that introduce a ban on publishing photographs and video recordings showing the aftermath of drone attacks. The only exception applies to materials released by decision of state bodies.
The document also specifies that the ban extends to information about the location of military facilities, critical infrastructure, and law enforcement units. Violators face fines: from ₽3,000–₽5,000 ($35-$60) for individuals, from ₽30,000–₽50,000 ($350-$600) for officials, and from ₽100,000–₽200,000 ($1,200–$2,400) for legal entities. Repeat violations will result in higher penalties.
The bill was initiated by North Ossetian Head Sergei Menyailo. He stated that the new measures are aimed at preventing the spread of data that could be used by the 'enemies of the country'.
The law will come into force after its official publication. Enforcement will be overseen by regional law enforcement agencies.
A similar ban is already in place in several Russian regions that are regularly subjected to shelling and drone attacks. Over the past three and a half years, numerous cases have been recorded in these regions of citizens being held accountable for posting materials related to military facilities or the consequences of strikes.
Russian authorities justify such measures as necessary to protect information and to prevent its use by Ukrainian forces.
In the North Caucasus, Ingushetia was the first to introduce such a ban, after local residents published photos and videos showing the aftermath of a drone hitting a residential building.
In July, authorities in North Ossetia imposed strict security measures in response to what they described as ‘information about a planned assassination attempt on members of the Russian armed forces and their relatives’ by Ukrainian intelligence services in Vladikavkaz, according to a statement from the regional government.
Due to the ongoing threat posed by drones, the region has also repeatedly restricted mobile internet and cellular networks. These measures are officially intended to prevent remote control of drones. North Ossetia is not the only region affected: nearly all parts of Russia have faced some level of internet disruption in recent months. The worst outages have been reported in the regions bordering Ukraine.
Drone strikes against North Ossetia began in the summer of 2024.
In July 2024, North Ossetia was reportedly attacked twice by drones. According to Menyailo, during the first attack, ‘minor destruction and fires’ were recorded at the airfield. He later deleted his post about the damage on Telegram.
During the second attack, Menyailo claimed that ‘there were no casualties or damage’.
On 12 December 2024, Menyailo reported another drone attack on Mozdok district. He specified that the Mozdok district was attacked, but claimed there were no casualties or damages as a result of the incident.
Later that same month, a drone attack resulted in the death of a civilian woman, 57-year-old Ida Chivaeva. A drone had struck a shopping centre where Chivaeva worked before opening hours, killing her.
In April 2025, North Ossetia was the target of a major drone attack. According to officials, 15 drones were shot down in the Mozdok district. Debris from one of the drones reportedly landed on an uninhabited building. There were no casualties or serious damage. The attack was the most significant drone incident in the region to date.
Elizaveta Chukharova
