Russian-controlled Crimea brings in information blackout designed to counter Ukrainian drone attacks

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Authorities in Russian-controlled Crimea said on Friday they were introducing an information blackout designed to counter Ukrainian drone, missile and sabotage attacks.

Sergei Aksyonov, the head of Crimea - which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 - said he had signed a decree banning media outlets and social media users from publishing any photos, video or other content that revealed the location of Russian forces or details of Ukrainian attacks on the Black Sea peninsula.

"The relevant decree was adopted to safeguard public security and military and other important facilities in the republic," Aksyonov said in a statement on Telegram.

Ukraine, which has said it wants Crimea back - something Moscow says it will not allow to happen - has repeatedly launched major attacks on Russian military assets in Crimea and targeted Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is formally based on the peninsula.

Aksyonov specifically mentioned the need to classify the location of Russian air defence systems, weapons, military equipment, and military personnel and not to share any GPS coordinates.

He also said that the ban covered the sharing of any information detailing the location, nature or aftermath of any Ukrainian attacks on Crimea, including missile and drone or sea drone strikes and sabotage.

Russian bloggers, media, and social media users frequently post images and details of Ukrainian strikes on Russian-held territory, often triggering criticism from both local and federal authorities.

(Reporting by ReutersWriting by Maxim RodionovEditing by Andrew Osborn)