A Russian court has issued an arrest warrant for French journalist Catherine Norris Trent, a correspondent for the France24 news channel, on charges of illegal crossing into the Kursk region, Reuters and TASS report, as quoted by News.bg.
According to the Russian authorities, Norris Trent infiltrated the region together with the Ukrainian army to prepare journalistic material. The incident is connected to the tension in the Kursk region, where on August 6 Ukrainian troops temporarily occupied part of Russian territory.
Russian authorities have opened criminal proceedings against several Western journalists who wrote material from the conflict zone. The proceedings are being conducted in absentia, and the warrants issued mean that these journalists will be arrested if they enter Russian territory.
The Kremlin has repeatedly said it will crack down on "disinformation" spread by Western media, using legal action against journalists deemed violators of Russian law.
France24 and international journalist organizations have not yet commented on the decision. However, Western observers emphasize that the case is part of the growing tension between Russia and the international press in the context of the conflict in Ukraine.