SBU is developing changes in legislation for easier way to block websites

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) together with other law enforcement agencies is developing changes in the legislation on the mechanism of blocking Russian Internet resources.

As said in the statement of the SBU, published on the evening of May 16.

“The Russian secret services conduct hybrid war against Ukrainian population, using the Internet resources “Vkontakte”, “Odnoklasniki”, “Mail.ru” and others in their special information operations. SBU constantly fixed the active dissemination of anti-Ukrainian calls for radical armed protest actions through such resources”, – noted in the SBU.

The Government Agency noted the leadership of Internet resources which fell within the sanctions list, has never reacted to the numerous appeals of the Security Service of Ukraine.

The SBU said that some providers already have the technical ability to block these Internet resources.

At the same time, Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) on Tuesday reported to the journalists that the decree on sanctions against Russian web resources has already came into force.

“I am already communicating with the providers, while the SBU is preparing information letters, which will be sent tomorrow, – start blocking Russian content today”, – said Turchynov.

According to the Secretary of the RNBO, several Russian websites were used for tracking and cyber-attacks.

As a reminder, Ukraine has included OOO Mail.Ru GROUP (Moscow), Ltd VKontakte (St. Petersburg), Ltd VKontakte (Kyiv), OOO Mail.Ru Ukraine (Kyiv) in the list of legal entities, in respect of which special economic sanctions are applied.

The decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine noted that Internet providers are prohibited from providing services for Internet users to accessing the resources of Mail.ru services and social-oriented resources VKontakte and Odnoklassniki.

Oleksandr Fedienko, Head of the Ukrainian Internet Association, said earlier that currently it is technically impossible for Ukrainian providers to implement the blocking of Russian websites that are under the sanctions.

Human rights defenders noted in the comments to the Human Rights Information Centre that aforementioned decree limits the freedoms of Ukrainian citizens.