Russia to punish ‘fake’ war reports with 15 years in prison

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
Associated Press

DUSSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has endorsed bill introducing a prison sentence of up to 15 years for those people spreading information that goes against the Russian government’s narrative on the war in Ukraine. The bill criminalizing the intentional spreading of what Russia deems to be “fake” news reports about the war was quickly rubber-stamped by both houses of parliament. Russian authorities have repeatedly decried reports of Russian military setbacks or civilian deaths in Ukraine as “fake” news. State media refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation.” Also Friday, Russia’s communications watchdog blocked Facebook and five foreign media organizations, claiming they had published “fake” news on the war.