I think it was mentioned earlier, but if not Russia has moved to close some of the remaining independent news outlets.
Now this:
Note that this is the top story on the front page of TASS. (Which I gather is maybe the CNN of Russia? The most bland of the major outlets? Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.)
On March 4, the Duma will consider the issue of criminal punishment for fakes about the actions of the RF Armed Forces
According to State Duma deputy Sergei Boyarsky, it is necessary “to take a step towards cleaning up the Internet from fakes, which everyone was tired of even before the operation”
ST. PETERSBURG, March 1. /TASS/. The State Duma at an extraordinary meeting on Friday will consider the issue of bringing to criminal responsibility for disseminating disinformation about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces in military operations. State Duma deputy Sergei Boyarsky announced this to journalists on Tuesday.
“Now a large-scale digital discrediting campaign is being waged against us. An emergency meeting - let’s say extraordinary - of the State Duma will be held this Friday, at which we will consider the issue of bringing to justice those who spread disinformation about the actions of our armed forces in any military operations, because now <…> it is very important,” Boyarsky said.
“We know perfectly well how our current, so to speak, main enemy is able to work with fakes. And this is by no means someone in Ukraine, these are people across the ocean, they have colossal experience,” the deputy added. According to him, it is necessary “to take a step towards cleaning the Internet from fakes, which everyone was tired of even before the operation.” “Thousands of false reports mislead not only the inhabitants of our country, but also the inhabitants of Ukraine, which, of course, is very sad,” Boyarsky stated.
On February 28, the head of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, Vasily Piskarev, announced the plans of parliamentarians to impose liability for disinformation about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces during the military special operation in Ukraine. He later clarified that criminal liability for misinformation could reach 15 years in prison.
State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin previously informed that an additional meeting of the lower house would be held on March 4, at which the proposals of the Russian government to support citizens would be considered.
