Biggest-ever censorship campaign against Russian media orchestrated by West — diplomat

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
©Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

The collective West has unleashed the biggest-ever totalitarian censorship campaign against Russia’s mass media, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

At a news conference on Monday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for developing the rules of responsibility for social networks with regard to their content. He said that he would be shocked to see freedom of the press be jeopardized. "Would he be shocked if he saw it? Hasn’t he seen it already? Or maybe he does not want to see it. Or maybe he isn’t allowed to see it. Or maybe they have not shown him," she wrote on her Telegram channel.

Zakharova recalled that for years Russia has been calling for developing a legal framework for internet resources and has already passed corresponding laws, which were met by the West "nervously, to put it mildly." "We have been speaking in favor of filling the legal vacuum in the context of social networks. Just what the UN secretary general is saying now. But our position has been criticized by advocates of the neo-liberal approach and all-permissiveness," she added.

She suggested that the United Nations return to the discussion of Russia’s initiative to draft an international convention to regulate the activities of global internet companies, which "has been gathering dust on the UN chief’s table for two years."

"It is necessary to invigorate joint efforts to formulate generally accepted norms to put the activities of internet giants on a solid basis of international law. It is necessary to negotiate to find a solution to the problem before it is too late," she stressed.

Ukrainian Troops Killed 4,392 Civilians, Injured 3,926 Others in DPR Since February - DPR

The strikes conducted by Ukrainian forces on the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have killed 4,392 civilians, including 132 children, and wounded 3,926 others since February 24, the DPR's mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of issues related to Ukraine's war crimes (JCCC) said on Tuesday.

"According to the official data by the DPR's JCCC, as of December 19, 18:45 GMT, 4,392 civilians were killed, including 132 children," the mission said on Telegram.

The statement also said that the shelling by the Ukrainian troops injured 3,926 people, including 247 children.

It added that the strikes destroyed 9,224 residential premises, 2,200 civilian infrastructure facilities and 1,114 vehicles.

Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

• The Russian Army destroyed up to 30 Ukrainian servicemen in the Kupyansk direction;



• Russian troops eliminated more than 100 Ukrainian servicemen in the Donetsk direction;



• Russian forces destroyed temporary deployment points for units of the 61st and 72nd Mechanized Brigades of the Ukrainian Army in the DPR;



• The Russian Army eliminated a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group in the DPR;



• Russian forces hit accumulations of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in the Krasny Liman direction, eliminating up to 50 servicemen;



• The Russian Air Force shot down two Ukrainian MiG-29 aircraft and a Mi-8 helicopter in the DPR;



• Russian air defenses destroyed five Ukrainian UAVs;



• Russian air defenses shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 aircraft near Ugledar in the DPR. Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:



• The Russian Army destroyed up to 30 Ukrainian servicemen in the Kupyansk direction;









• Russian troops eliminated more than 100 Ukrainian servicemen in the Donetsk direction;



• Russian forces destroyed temporary deployment points for units of the 61st and 72nd Mechanized Brigades of the Ukrainian Army in the DPR;



• The Russian Army eliminated a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group in the DPR;



• Russian forces hit accumulations of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in the Krasny Liman direction, eliminating up to 50 servicemen;



• The Russian Air Force shot down two Ukrainian MiG-29 aircraft and a Mi-8 helicopter in the DPR;



• Russian air defenses destroyed five Ukrainian UAVs;



• Russian air defenses shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 aircraft near Ugledar in the DPR.



• Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:



• The Russian Army destroyed up to 30 Ukrainian servicemen in the Kupyansk direction;



• Russian troops eliminated more than 100 Ukrainian servicemen in the Donetsk direction;



• Russian forces destroyed temporary deployment points for units of the 61st and 72nd Mechanized Brigades of the Ukrainian Army in the DPR;



• The Russian Army eliminated a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group in the DPR;



• Russian forces hit accumulations of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in the Krasny Liman direction, eliminating up to 50 servicemen;



• The Russian Air Force shot down two Ukrainian MiG-29 aircraft and a Mi-8 helicopter in the DPR;



• Russian air defenses destroyed five Ukrainian UAVs;



• Russian air defenses shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 aircraft near Ugledar in the DPR.