Always use VPN services on your phone and computer if your internet provider is connected to a Russian network. They help to evade surveillance and circumvent restrictions imposed by invaders. Most such services are blocked by Russia, so you need to look for those that are still available and not necessarily of Russian production.

How to set up secure internet (mobile and fixed)

With a VPN service, you can watch Ukrainian TV and read Ukrainian media online and in mobile apps. You can watch Ukrainian television on YouTube, Kyivstar TV, Megogo, Omega TV and many other platforms, as well as in the Diya application.

Be sure to check the official statements and important information on the websites of Ukrainian state authorities (on official pages with a verification mark – blue tick in social networks). However, you should be careful not to encounter a fake site created by the enemy.

Where to listen to internet radio

Search for Ukrainian radio broadcasts on the Radioplayer.ua platform, website or Public Radio app:

Which online resources available in the occupied territories can be trusted?

The invaders block access to Ukrainian online broadcasts, government websites, social networks, TV channels and radio stations. However, access to Ukrainian resources in messengers can be provided.

Real news about the situation in the country can be found at:

Verified sources and secure news reading on Viber

Search for official channels in Viber, in the search or in the “Useful” tab. It is also marked with a blue bird. Some:

• President of Ukraine.
• Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
• Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
• Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
• Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• Strategic Communication and Information Security Center.
• National Security Council Center for Combating Disinformation.
• Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

if any threat of smartphone falling into the wrong handsTo read Viber news with confidence, follow a few instructions:

• in case of danger subscribe channels, search for them in the application or in the “Useful” tab for reading;
• If necessary, clear the search history as follows: When you go to the search bar, click the “Clear” button next to the “Recent” section.

What information should not be shared in personal chats or groups because of the risk of being searched while living in the occupied territories?

Remove from the conversations discussions on all topics that might provoke the invaders: discussion of political issues, hostilities, condemnation of Russia’s policy. It includes photos of military equipment, its destruction, screenshots from the news, etc. do not save.

Delete from the phone any information that may be suspicious to the invaders:

• any patriotic information;
• memes about the enemy;
• Photographs, equipment, positions, military facilities of the Ukrainian army;
• photographs of the occupiers, their equipment, their location, recorded facts of their crimes;
• backup copies of the smartphone, if created;
• Uninstall apps that may trigger invaders.

Do not contact the ranks or positions of the army (“Major Sergey”, “Vasyl Sergeant”, etc.) and other nicknames (“Johnny”, “Tony”, etc.). It is better to call them by their first and last name, it can be fictional, but realistic.

Moreover clear browser history, bookmarks and chats in messengers. But also leave something neutral, like a website with a weather forecast, movie recommendations, and unbiased correspondence with your spouse and relatives.

The ideal option is to have a spare smartphone to carry with you and to give to the people in the building on possible calls. However, if you are using a modern smartphone, let the backup phone be approximately the same as your main phone.