Authorities in the southern city of Krasnodar said they will begin using analog air raid sirens to warn residents of incoming Ukrainian drone attacks, as persistent mobile internet disruptions have made it difficult for people to receive official alerts on their phones.
“Drone attacks have been intensifying lately. Unfortunately, civilians have been affected and infrastructure has been damaged,” Krasnodar Mayor Yevgeny Naumov said Thursday, referring to multiple recent fatalities as a result of airstrikes.
“When a drone attack is being repelled in Krasnodar, the public alert system will be activated,” he added.
Krasnodar is among dozens of regions across Russia that have faced increasingly frequent and prolonged internet outages in recent weeks, as air defense forces jam signals used by Ukrainian drones.
Residents in Krasnodar said in recent days that, in addition to losing internet access, they have sometimes been unable to make phone calls or send text messages through mobile operators.
Ostorozhno Media reported this week that people in Krasnodar have been complaining about a lack of air raid sirens during recent drone attacks, with local authorities allegedly saying the strikes did not qualify as an emergency.
The switch to analog air raid sirens in Krasnodar comes as authorities in the Belgorod region warned that internet disruptions there have led to avoidable deaths, as some Belgorod residents have been unable to receive alerts on their phones.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
