Russian law enforcement authorities are urging residents in regions bordering northeastern Ukraine to avoid using dating websites amid Kyiv’s ongoing incursion, state media reported Tuesday, citing an Interior Ministry spokesperson.
“The use of online dating services is strongly discouraged. The enemy is actively using them to gather information,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by Interfax.
The warnings — issued to residents of the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions — also advised against using security cameras.
“The enemy is identifying IP address ranges in our territories, remotely accessing unprotected security cameras, monitoring everything from private yards to strategic roads and highways,” the Interior Ministry spokesperson said. “Unless necessary, it is better not to use security cameras.”
The warnings come exactly two weeks after Ukrainian forces stormed across the border into the Kursk region. Since launching its offensive, Kyiv claims to have gained control of more than 1,250 square kilometers (483 square miles) of Russian territory and 92 towns and villages in the Kursk region.
As Russian forces continue to battle Ukrainian troops, Russia’s Interior Ministry also advised military personnel to avoid using phones with sensitive personal information and to delete contact details of fellow soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces.
“It is important to monitor and moderate chats and to quickly delete the accounts of people captured by the enemy or those whose phones have been compromised,” the spokesperson added.
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