A photo circulated on Russia's social networks Friday showed a notice, supposedly placed at the entrance to a Russian kindergarten, that urged parents to protect their children from the Islamic State terrorist organization — by securing the kindergarten's gate with a hook and eye latch.
The notice supposedly appeared in the city of Kaluga, 150 kilometers southwest of Moscow, according to reports Thursday by local KalugaNews portal on the VKontakte social network, and by the Kaluga-Poisk website.
"Due to increased activity of the Islamic State international terrorist group, we urge you to latch the gate," the notice reads. It was signed: "Children, teachers, administration."
The image quickly went viral and was reprinted by national media.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures," the TJournal news portal deadpanned in a post on its VKontakte page.
Many users of Russian social networks pointed out that the notice failed to include a line, required by the country's media watchdog to accompany news reports about Islamic State, to say that it is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.
The Moscow Times could not immediately verify the authenticity of the photo.
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.
![paiment methods](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/img/contribute/payment_icons.png)
Remind me later.