Putin signs draconian press restrictions into law, while Facebook and reportedly Twitter are …

DUSSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a bill introducing a prison sentence of up to 15 years for those spreading information that goes against the Russian government’s narrative on the war in Ukraine.The bill criminalizing the intentional spreading of what Russia deems to be “fake” reports about the war was quickly rubber-stamped by both houses of the Kremlin-controlled parliament earlier in the day. Background: Russian State Duma passes bill to impose lengthy prison sentences on those reporting news on Ukraine invasion that doesn’t match Putin party line Russian authorities have repeatedly decried reports of Russian military setbacks or civilian deaths in Ukraine as “fake” news. State media outlets refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation” rather than a “war” or an “invasion.” Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the lower house of Russian parliament, said the new measure “will force those who lied and made statements discrediting our armed forces to bear very grave punishment.” “I want everyone to understand, and for society to understand, that we are doing this to protect our soldiers and officers, and to protect the truth,” he added. From the archives: ‘It wasn’t Putin who invaded Ukraine’:…
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