The Russian Security Service (FSB) announced today , that it has started a criminal investigation against 14 foreign journalists who on August 17 illegally entered Russia's Kursk region through the border with Ukraine, Reuters reported, as quoted by BTA.
The FSB said in a statement that the journalists who are being investigated for illegal border crossing are representatives of the French media outlet "France 24" and the Swiss CH Media.
In August, Ukraine launched a surprise attack on Kursk Oblast, seizing territory around the border town of Suja. Some foreign journalists, including from the US, Germany and Romania, have entered Ukrainian-controlled territory in the Kursk region. Journalists from the Italian channel RAI were the first to do this.
According to Russian law, illegal entry across the border is punishable by up to five years in prison.