On July 1, 2015, 244 MPs in Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukrainian Parliament) voted in favor of the Cabinet-drafted bill No. 2531 that banned soldiers in the ATO (anti-terrorist operation area) from using their cell phones without unit commanders’ permission.
“Military performing their duty are prohibited from using personal devices of mobile communication in areas of the anti-terrorist operation, during state of emergency, or within a special period on the territories of combat activities,” underlines the document.
The government believes this law to enhance control over information leakage, particularly in the ATO (anti-terrorist operation) area in Eastern Ukraine.
Recently Dr. Phillip A. Karber, the President of the Potomac Foundation, expert in defense and national security matters, during the presentation of the report “Beyond Minsk II: Prospects for a new Russian offensive” stated that during his visit to Mariupol the Russian observers from the OSCE in Ukraine recorded the coordinates of the Ukrainian forces with the use of their mobile phones.
