Russia Launches Criminal Case Against Journalists Amid Ukrainian Conflict

Russia Opens Criminal Case Against Journalists Amid Ongoing Conflict

On Thursday, the Russian government announced it had initiated a criminal case against a CNN correspondent and two Ukrainian journalists for allegedly entering the country illegally while covering a Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region. This development brings the total number of journalists facing similar charges to five.

The Russian security service, known as the F.S.B., had also filed charges against two Italian journalists just the previous week. Furthermore, the Foreign Ministry indicated that additional cases are under review, including potential actions against reporters from The Washington Post.

The F.S.B. identified the CNN reporter as Nick Paton Walsh, a British national who serves as the network’s chief international security correspondent. The two Ukrainian reporters named in the case are Olesya N. Borovik and Diana V. Butsko, both affiliated with the independent news organization Hromadske.

Notably, none of the three journalists are based in Russia, and there appears to be no immediate risk of their detention within the country. According to the F.S.B. statement, these journalists will be placed on Russia’s wanted list.

The Russian government’s actions seem primarily aimed at intimidating those who report on its inability to prevent Ukrainian forces from capturing significant territory along the border. In a parallel development, Ukraine has also threatened to take measures against journalists who report from Crimea, which has been under Russian occupation since 2014, if they do not first secure proper permits from the Ukrainian government in Kyiv.

Under Russian law, the maximum penalty for illegally crossing the border is four years in prison, along with fines that can reach several thousand dollars, as noted in the F.S.B. statement that was reported by the official news agency, Tass.