The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has launched criminal investigations against three journalists — two Americans and one Romanian — accusing them of illegally crossing the Russian border from Ukraine into the Kursk region during a Ukrainian military incursion.
A Growing List
According to Digi24 the journalists in question are Kathryn Diss and Fletcher Yeung, who work for Australian news channel ABC, and Mircea Barbu, a correspondent for the Romanian news outlet HotNews.ro.
These reporters now join a growing list of foreign journalists being investigated by Russian authorities for similar alleged offenses.
Since August 17, Russian officials have opened criminal cases against 12 international journalists, including those from CNN, Italy's Rai, and Germany's Deutsche Welle, for reporting from the Kursk region.
Up to Five Years in Prison
Under Russian law, illegally crossing the border can result in a prison sentence of up to five years. Although criminal cases have been filed, it appears that the journalists involved are no longer in Russia, according to AFP.
Romanian journalist Mircea Barbu commented on the situation, stating that these actions by the Russian government pose a significant threat to all reporters who risk their safety to uncover and share the truth about armed conflicts and crises.
The investigations come in the aftermath of a surprise Ukrainian military offensive in the Kursk region on August 6. This marked the first time a foreign army had entered Russian territory since World War II.
Russia has since launched a counteroffensive, claiming to have regained ground, while Ukraine maintains that it still controls around 100 localities and approximately 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) in the region.
Several international media outlets have since reported on the situation from areas under Ukrainian control.
