Western Journalists Held in Slovyansk Released After 3-Hour Ordeal

May 2, 2014

Members of the Ukrainian security services stand near a armoured personnel carrier at a checkpoint near the town of Slovyansk, east Ukraine.

A group of Western journalists was released Friday after spending several hours in the hands of pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian town of Slovyansk.

Journalists from news outlets SkyNews, Buzzfeed and CBS were captured by insurgents on their way to Slovyansk, where Ukrainian special forces launched an anti-terrorist operation early Friday in an attempt to retake the separatist stronghold.

Giglio said on Twitter that the journalists, along with his translator, were taken to the central police station in Slovyansk, where they were blindfolded and held for three hours before being released.

"Once they decided to release us -- and a translator overheard talk of taking us hostage -- the pro-Russia militiamen politely served us tea," Giglio said on Twitter following the scare.

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