YEKATERINBURG, May 4. /TASS/. Russia’s Sverdlovsk Region in the Ural Mountains has banned the use of drones until the end of the "special regime" that had been introduced by the federal government, regional officials said on Thursday.

"A ban on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles has been introduced in the Sverdlovsk Region for the purpose of ensuring the security of the region’s residents and critical infrastructure until the end of the special regime that the federal government introduced in the region," the regional government said in a statement.

Officials said an exception has been made for drones used by law enforcement agencies, regional and local government agencies and defense contractors.