On March 19, Bukvy found Instagram has taken down its post with comments from Dmytro Kukharchuk of Azov Regiment that came in response to the claims of presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych there cannot be ‘military solution’ to the current situation in Mariupol.

Dmytro Kucharchuk pushed back against such assumption arguing Arestovych has no competencies and experience to comment on the war-related issues.

‘I have every confidence that the issue of ‘de-blockading’ of cities as well as any other military operations is a prerogative of the military, not bloggers. If Arestovych wants to speak as a military expert, I could invite him to our combat positions and I am sure it will make him change his mind providing he survives’.

A few hours later after this commentary was posted on Instagram its moderators rushed to delete the post content arguing it violated its community guidelines. The move appears to be rather contestable considering that Kucharchuk’s words did not imply any physical threats, had no signs of incitement, but rather stated the obvious things about the dire situation Mariupol was facing.

Russian attacks on the city have killed more than 2 thousand people while many others of its 350 thousand residents are still trapped in the city and have no chance to flee.

The images of destroyed local children’s hospital and maternity ward that have circulated on media for days are a grim reminder of what humanitarian catastrophe Mariupol people are facing at this very moment.

‘Bukvy’ team believe that the Instagram decision to remove ‘Bukvy’ content comes as discriminatory and biased given the context of the threat Ukraine and its people face amid Russian onslaught.