Russia’s communications regulator will review reports about the Irkutsk infection

Roskomnadzor (Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media) told Interfax it had identified false publications about the epidemiological situation in Irkutsk and would review them.

The regulator said it could demand removal of knowingly false materials and block a resource following refusal. It urged newsrooms to use official sources and consult Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s public-health watchdog. The statement named no specific publications, removal demands or completed blocks.

Interfax published the report 8 October at 19:15 UTC+3 (Coordinated Universal Time; Moscow), or 9 October 00:15 in Irkutsk. The modified field 19:14 precedes publication; reason unestablished. The spokesperson’s name and exact statement time unknown. Source added 8 October in Coordinated Universal Time.