Putin has approved changes to a law that will curtail media coverage of next year's presidential election.
The changes Putin greenlighted limit coverage of Central Election Commission sessions to registered media outlets, which could exclude freelancers or independent journalists.
The amendments prohibit media from reporting on the commission's actions at military bases or in areas under martial law without advance clearance from regional and military authorities.
They also bar the publication of any campaign content on blocked sources, referring to restricted websites and social media services.
To enforce this ban, the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media also reportedly plans to block certain virtual private networks (VPNs) that Russians widely use to bypass internet restrictions.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, it has clamped down on independent and dissenting media voices, watchdogs have said.
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