Moscow threatens to block Russian-language Wikipedia over invasion article

(Reuters) – Russian authorities have threatened to block Wikipedia’s Russian-language site over an article that mentions deaths among Ukrainian civilians as well as the Russian forces that have entered Ukraine, Russian Wikipedia said on Tuesday.

In a tweet, it posted a picture of a notification from the Russian communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, informing it of a threat from state prosecutors to block the site over a Russian-language article titled “Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022)”.

Among the “illegally distributed information” the notice complained of were “reports about numerous casualties among service personnel of the Russian Federation and also the civilian population of Ukraine, including children.”

The U.N. human rights office said on Tuesday that at least 136 civilians including 13 children had been killed since Russia invaded Ukraine last week.

Russia has not published any precise casualty figures for its own military, but says its losses have been far lower than those of Ukrainian forces.

Moscow uses the term “special military operation” for its campaign, saying it wants to disarm Ukraine and remove the threat it poses to Russia’s security.

Russian authorities could not immediately be asked for comment.

(Writing by Kevin Liffey; editing by Richard Pullin)