Russian law enforcement authorities announced on Thursday that they have filed criminal charges against a CNN reporter and two Ukrainian journalists for allegedly crossing the border illegally into the Ukrainian-held territory of Russia’s Kursk region during a reporting assignment.
“Criminal charges have been initiated, and investigations are ongoing,” a spokesperson for Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) told the state-run Interfax news agency.
The FSB identified the journalists as CNN reporter Nick Paton Walsh and Ukrainian journalists Olesia Borovyk and Diana Butsko. They are accused of “illegally crossing the state border of Russia.” If convicted, they could face penalties of up to five years in prison. The FSB also stated that the journalists would soon be placed on an international wanted list.
Earlier, Russian authorities had charged two Italian journalists from the broadcaster RAI for filming in the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, which was taken by Ukrainian forces after a surprise incursion on August 6.
Italy’s ambassador to Moscow was summoned over that incident. Following the launch of a criminal investigation into their activities, RAI announced that its journalists would return to Italy for their safety.
In a related development on Tuesday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned a senior U.S. Embassy official in Moscow over what it described as “provocative actions” by American journalists reporting from Ukrainian-held parts of the Kursk region, as well as alleged U.S. mercenary activity on Russian soil.
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