Donbas, Eastern Region Of Ukraine, Supports Russia's Policy To Block Facebook And Instagram

JAKARTA - The Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine announced on Wednesday, May 11 that they had blocked access to Facebook and Instagram, aligning themselves with Russia's policy towards US-based social media networks.

Moscow recognized the two separatist territories as independent on February 21. Three days later Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a campaign it called a "special military operation" aimed in part at protecting Russian-speaking speakers there.

"Access to information sources of American companies such as Meta, which allows violent calls against Russian-speaking users on its social networks, has been blocked," the DNR Communications Ministry said in a statement. "In light of this, access to social networks Facebook and Instagram is blocked in the territory of the republic."

In a separate statement, the LNR's Ministry of Communications said it was also blocking access to social networks. Meta Platforms Inc did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the statement.

Russia banned Facebook and Instagram in March after a court found Meta guilty of "extremist activity". Moscow has also restricted access to Facebook because it has also restricted Russian media access to the platform.

Russia's state communications regulator also blocked access to Instagram in March after Meta said it would allow social media users in Ukraine to post messages such as "Death to Russian occupiers".

Meta said that this temporary change in hate speech policy only applies to Ukraine.

Russia has also maintained close ties with Donetsk and Luhansk, collectively known as the Donbas, since backing a pro-Russian uprising there in 2014 following Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Both regions have received financial support from Moscow, and use the Russian ruble as their currency and teach the Russian curriculum in their schools.