Prohibitions on taking photographs and videos

This page is for Turkish citizens in Ukraine during martial law who take photos or videos with their phones or share posts on social media. In Ukraine, disseminating the location or movement of military units and weapons is a crime carrying severe penalties. The police also explicitly prohibit filming strike sites and air defense operations. Below, you will find only the rules stated in official texts.

• Article 114-2 was added to the Criminal Code of Ukraine by Law No. 2160-IX dated March 24, 2022. The article penalizes acts committed during martial law or a state of emergency.
• Paragraph 1: Disseminating information about the direction and movement of weapons, weapon systems, and ammunition sent to Ukraine, including their movement within Ukraine. If the information has not been disclosed by official sources of the General Staff, the Ministry of Defense, Military Intelligence, the Security Service, or partner countries, the penalty is 3–5 years in prison.
• Paragraph 2: Disseminating information about the movement, relocation, or location of the Armed Forces of Ukraine or other military formations in a manner that can be detected on the ground. If the information has not been disclosed by the General Staff, the Ministry of Defense, or other authorized bodies, the penalty is 5–8 years in prison.
• Paragraph 3: If these acts are committed by a group that had prior agreement, for profit, to provide information to an aggressor state, or if they cause serious consequences, the penalty is 8–12 years in prison.
• Under the Criminal Code, everyone who commits a crime in the territory of Ukraine is liable under this law (Art. 6). This also includes foreigners.

• The National Police of Ukraine reminded people on October 6, 2025, that the following conduct is strictly prohibited:
  • taking and publishing photos or videos of impact sites, destruction, or the moments of explosions
  • recording air defense operations or the moments when aerial targets are shot down
  • publishing photos showing the tail numbers, serial markings, or fragments of unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles
  • leaving a shelter to film during an air-raid alert or filming from a window, balcony, or other open location
• According to the police, such footage helps the enemy adjust its attacks and may lead to new attacks.
• If you find a missile or unmanned aerial vehicle fragment, do not approach or touch it. Report it immediately: police 102, State Emergency Service 101.

• Article 114-2 penalizes the dissemination (поширення) of information. Publishing an image on social media, sending it to a messaging group, or resharing it may fall within this scope.
• The exception in the law applies only to information expressly published by the General Staff and the other official sources listed in the text of the article.
• Location tags, signs in photographs, vehicle license plates, and buildings in the background may help identify the location of a unit.
• If the legal boundaries are unclear, do not share the image at all. If you encounter a specific problem, consult an authorized lawyer in Ukraine.

• In the border strip (approximately 5 km from the border), video, film, and photography require permission from the State Border Guard Service under the Cabinet of Ministers’ regulation on the border regime (Resolution No. 1147, Art. 17).
• The same permission rule also applies to activities in this area such as construction, research, tourist visits, and parachute jumps.
• Separate permission is also required to enter and remain in the border strip (see U9.1).
• Settlements and public recreational areas are not included in the border strip.

• Under the martial law law, if martial law rules are violated, authorities may confiscate from individuals communications devices, television, video and audio equipment, computers, and, if necessary, other technical means of communication (Art. 8, clause 12).
• Authorities may check documents and, if necessary, search belongings, vehicles, and luggage (Art. 8, clause 7).
• Calmly follow the authorities’ instructions during inspections. If you experience a problem, call the emergency line of the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye.

• Do not film soldiers, military vehicles, checkpoints, military facilities, or air defense systems.
• Do not film or share destroyed buildings, energy facilities, or impact sites after an attack.
• During an air-raid alert, go to a shelter immediately instead of filming with your phone.
• Disable location information in the photos you share.
• Do not share your location through a live stream or real-time story.
• Before taking photographs in the border area, ask the State Border Guard Service whether permission is required (hotline 1598).
• Check the background in your tourist and personal photos: if a military vehicle, unit, or facility is visible, do not share the photo.

• Recording air defense operations from a balcony or window.
• Sharing destruction after an attack on social media “to report it.”
• Filming a military vehicle convoy and sending it to a messaging group.
• Approaching a fallen unmanned aerial vehicle fragment and photographing it.
• Leaving location information enabled in photographs.
• Taking photographs in the border strip without permission.

• Can I take tourist photographs in the city? The law penalizes disseminating information about the location and movement of military units and weapons. The police also prohibit filming impact sites, destruction, and air defense operations. Stay away from these subjects and check the background.
• Would it be a crime if I shared the image privately with only my family? The law penalizes “dissemination”; in a specific case, the court decides what constitutes dissemination. Do not send such images at all.
• Can I reshare an image I saw on news websites? The law makes an exception only for information disclosed by the General Staff, the Ministry of Defense, and the other official sources listed in the article.
• What is the penalty? Depending on the paragraph, 3–5 years, 5–8 years, or 8–12 years in prison.
• What should I do if I find a fragment? Do not approach it, touch it, or photograph it. Call the police (102) or the Emergency Service (101).
• Can I take photographs at a border crossing? Photography in the border strip requires permission. Follow the instructions of officials at the border crossing.

• Criminal Code of Ukraine – full text (official legal portal)
• Law on the Legal Regime of Martial Law
• National Police – call not to share photos of impact sites and aerial vehicle numbers
• Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine – explanation regarding Article 114-2 (24.03.2022)
• State Border Guard Service – border strip permission and filming rules