Ukraine's Security Service has released two Russian television journalists who were held over the weekend for supposedly conducting "surveillance" of a Ukrainian border checkpoint, their employer said.
Cameraman Andrei Sushenkov and video engineer Anton Malyshev from Zvezda television landed early Monday morning at Moscow's military airport Chkalovsky, where they had been brought by a Russian Defense Ministry plane after Ukrainian authorities handed them over to Russia, the television channel reported.
Responding to questions about how the pair had been treated by Ukrainian authorities, Malyshev said they were "not exactly tortured," but were kept in a stuffy room overheated by the sun, and "slapped around on the subject of whether we work for any kind of secret services."
“We were hungry, it was hot, dirty and sometimes painful,” the journalists were quoted as saying.
The Ukrainian Security Service said the two men were detained Friday on suspicion of conducting "surveillance" of a border checkpoint in eastern Ukraine, Zvezda reported.
The Russian Foreign Ministry had demanded their release and accused Ukrainian authorities of "flagrantly violating the freedom of the media."
Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, both Ukrainian authorities and pro-Russian separatists have been accused of interfering with coverage of the conflict.
See also:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
