Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi has approved changes to procedures for journalist accreditation during martial law, aimed at enabling the media to cover the war more extensively, the chair of the parliamentary Freedom of Speech Committee, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, said in a Facebook post on Feb. 7.

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Yurchyshyn explained that under the new rules, accredited journalists in the “yellow” zone are permitted to work unescorted in public spaces within an agreed route.

In the “red” zone, accredited media employees will be granted access only if accompanied by official personnel, and only as an exception at the request of the Defense Ministry, the General Staff, or the commander of the troop contingent deployed in the area.

While working in such locations, journalists assume responsibility for their own life and health. However, in the “red” zone, they must immediately cease work if a life-threatening situation arises.

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Furthermore, media accreditation will now be valid for up to one year, instead of six months.

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“War correspondents want and are able to cover the war more broadly, but military leadership does not always see the need,” the committee chair said.

“But the need is there. It is Ukraine and the media that should set the tone in the coverage of events on our land. It is we who must paint an honest picture of the war with Russian terrorists. This is just the beginning of changes… It is a move in the right direction.”

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine