02/24/2022

[UPDATED on 2/28/2022 @ 1812 UTC] A state of emergency was declared in Ukraine
just prior to the Russian military invasion. Among other things, the February
24 decree from President Volodymyr Zelensky will remain in effect at least for
30 days and may be extended. As published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada,
Ukraine's unicameral legislative body, the state of emergency includes
regulation of TV and radio activities and "a ban on the operation amateur radio
transmitters for personal and collective use."

The decree also imposes a ban on mass events and on strikes and authorizes
checking the documents of citizens, and if necessary, conducting searches on
persons, vehicles, cargo, office space, and housing. A curfew could be imposed.
"The situation changes rapidly," IARU Region 1 Secretary Mats Espling, SM6EAN,
said. "IARU Region 1 continues to monitor the development and expect all radio
amateurs to follow their national laws and regulations." 

IARU subsequently issued a short statement: "IARU is an apolitical organization
focused on promoting and defending amateur radio and the amateur radio
services. The Amateur Radio Service is about self-instruction in communications
and friendship between people."

The DARC HF Committee issued this statement on February 27: "Any radio amateur
currently transmitting from Ukraine is risking his or her life. If you hear
a Ukrainian station, do not broadcast its call sign, location, or frequency -
whether on the band, in a cluster or on social media. You may be putting lives
at risk."

Some stations with Ukrainian call signs may still be active, since an exception
was made for stations in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine (eastern Donetsk
and Luhansk oblasts), which have special legal status owing to Russia's
occupation since 2014. Stations from Ukraine with the letter "I" after the
number in the prefix are located in this region and can, at least in theory, be
active.

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