The Russian communications agency Roskomnadzor asked Wikipedia to remove a page that contained “unreliable socially significant materials, as well as other prohibited information” about its operations in Ukraine.
The regulator is threatening Wikipedia with a fine of up to 4 million rubles ($47,000) if the online encyclopedia does not remove materials deemed illegal under Russian law.
The Wikimedia Foundation owns and operates Wikipedia.
A spokesperson for Wikimedia said that on March 1 and again on March 29, the company received a request to remove information about the invasion from the Russian-language version of the page about the invasion, before learning of the possible fine.
The spokesperson said the information contained in the article would continue to be verified, fact-checked and “improved by an ever-growing number of Wikipedia volunteer editors.”
“Wikipedia is an important source of reliable, factual information in this crisis. In recognition of this important role, we will not back down in the face of efforts to censor and intimidate members of our movement. We stand by our mission to deliver free knowledge to the world,” the Wikimedia foundation wrote.
For more information, read the original story in NPR.