The Security Service of Ukraine has called on citizens to be particularly vigilant and to take a responsible approach to security in the run-up to and on Independence Day. The agency warned that the enemy may use mass gatherings as a cover for shelling, provocations, terrorist attacks, sabotage, cyber-attacks and other crimes, and asked the public to report any potential threats to the police.
Briefly about the main points
- During an air-raid alert, you should proceed to a pre-designated shelter.
- Suspicious objects must not be touched, examined or moved.
- Please do not publish information about the military, air defence, shelling or critical infrastructure.
- Offers of money in exchange for arson or data collection should be rejected.
- You can contact the SBU by calling 1516, via the chatbot or by email.
What to do in the event of an emergency or if you spot any signs of danger
SBU recommends Do not ignore air-raid sirens and identify the nearest shelter in advance Ukraine’s Independence Day. Members of the public are also asked to report any suspicious individuals, objects or other signs of possible illegal activity to the police.
You should not approach suspicious objects, examine them yourself or move them. The State Emergency Service advises you to move away along the same route, warn people nearby and call the emergency services on 101 or the police on 102.
What sort of information should not be shared
The service urges people not to publish photos or videos that could reveal the locations of military personnel, critical infrastructure, checkpoints or air defence systems. Nor should information be shared regarding the consequences of shelling, air defence operations or the movements of Ukrainian military personnel.
The Criminal Code provides for liability for the unauthorised dissemination, during a state of war or a state of emergency, of information regarding the movements or deployment of the Defence Forces, if such information has not been officially disclosed.
How to respond to attempts at recruitment and dubious requests
The SBU also drew attention to attempts by the Russian security services to recruit Ukrainians to plan terrorist attacks and carry out acts of sabotage. You should not comply with requests from strangers to photograph buildings, hand over parcels or leave items in a specific place — even if such people claim to be law enforcement officers.
The agency urges people to reject offers of payment for arson, damage to property, the installation of unknown objects, the collection of data on military facilities and other unlawful acts. The SBU previously reported that Russian intelligence services are using social media and messaging apps for recruitment purposes.
Where to report information about a threat
The SBU asks that any information regarding the planning of sabotage, terrorist attacks, recruitment attempts or other activities that may pose a threat to national security be reported via the designated channels. The short freephone number 1516 is available from landlines and mobile phones on all networks throughout Ukraine.
- SBU hotline: 1516.
- The «Burn the FSB Agent» chatbot: t.me/spaly_fsb_bot.
- Email: callcenter@ssu.gov.ua.
