General Staff denies blocking statements by military personnel: no bans on public appearances
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said reports that Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi had issued directives allegedly prohibiting military personnel from expressing their own views on social media, giving interviews or making statements were untrue.
The General Staff press centre reported this, Censor.NET informs.
How interaction with the media is regulated
The General Staff emphasised that the Armed Forces of Ukraine strictly follow applicable laws and regulations. The main governing documents currently setting out the rules for interaction between military personnel and the press are:
- Ministry of Defence Order No. 763 of 20 December 2023 (as amended) "On Additional Measures to Fulfil State Information Policy Tasks in the Defence Sector During a Special Period and Under a State of Emergency or Martial Law";
- Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Order No. 73 of 3 March 2022 (as amended) "On Organising Interaction Between the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Other Components of the Defence Forces and Media Representatives During the Legal Regime of Martial Law".
The General Staff added that directives and instructions clarifying certain aspects of communication are periodically sent to the troops to ensure compliance with these basic orders.
"One of the latest such directives concerned exclusively the dissemination of information about changes in the operational situation in combat areas through the media, official social media pages and other channels. This primarily concerns the secure employment of troops (forces) and information security.
"The directive contained no prohibitions on military personnel interacting with the media, making public appearances, giving interviews or issuing statements," the General Staff added.
Background
- As a reminder, volunteer and military medic Alina Mykhailova previously alleged that pressure was being exerted on military personnel who supported peaceful protests. According to her, participation in such events could result in reprimands, removal from posts and "preventive talks" with commanders.
- Serviceman Serhii Hnezdilov officially confirmed reports of a large-scale campaign of pressure and intimidation targeting commanders and military personnel who supported former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
- Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert Brovdi said the USF does not tolerate any reprisals against military personnel and promised to investigate reports of possible pressure on troops supporting rallies against Mykhailo Fedorov’s resignation.
New Cabinet of Ministers and Fedorov’s resignation
- On July 14, the Verkhovna Rada supported a resolution on the resignation of Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko. The entire Cabinet of Ministers automatically resigned with her.
- On July 15, Mykhailo Fedorov said that he was stepping down as head of the Defence Ministry.
- Before that, several media outlets and MPs reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wanted to replace him with Ihor Klymenko, the incumbent interior minister.
- Rallies in support of Mykhailo Fedorov were held in Dnipro, Rivne, Zaporizhzhia, Lutsk, Cherkasy and other cities. Participants are protesting against his resignation.
- On July 16, the Verkhovna Rada voted to appoint the new Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Serhii Koretskyi was appointed Prime Minister.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he would nominate Yevhenii Khmara for the post of Ukraine’s defence minister. Before doing so, he tasked Khmara with serving as acting head of the Defence Ministry.
