Austria detains Ukrainians on spying fears
Reporters Without Borders has condemned the arrests of two Ukrainian journalists in Austria as Ukraine seeks answers from authorities.
Austria detained two Ukrainians on suspicion of espionage on Friday, according to authorities. Two Ukrainian journalists working for Ukrainian daily Ukrainska Pravda were also arrested in the case, but one of them has since been released and the other will be, according to a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office. Ukrainska Pravda condemned the arrests, stating that the charges against their colleagues are unlike anything they have encountered before and raise serious questions.
The paper's editor-in-chief, Sevgil Musaieva, revealed that cameraman Yaroslav Bondarenko was injured during his arrest and hospitalized. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had fired Ruslan Kravchenko, one of the journalists, last month over allegations of taking bribes, which he denies. Reporters Without Borders called the arrest a "violent police arrest" and urged authorities to shed light on the events and protect the journalists' equipment and sources.
Ukraine's foreign ministry stated it is still working to clarify the circumstances of the detention. Two other suspects arrested on Monday remain in custody on suspicion of espionage, with Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirming this to reporters.
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