Italian journalists filming in Kursk region returned home after Russia's threats
Italian journalists returned home after Russia's threats (photo: Getty Images)
Russia was furious after foreign journalists published a report from the Kursk region. After threats from Moscow, the reporters decided to return home, reports Reuters.
“The company decided to make journalist Stefania Battistini and cameraman Simone Traini return temporarily to Italy, solely to ensure personal safety and security,” the state-owned Italian television company RAI said in a statement.
Yesterday, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Italian Ambassador Cecilia Piccioni. This happened after Italian correspondents were reporting from the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Kursk region.
A four-person RAI crew, working under the escort of the Ukrainian military, produced the first foreign media report from the war-torn Russian city of Sudzha last week during Ukraine's invasion of Kursk.
On Sunday, the two reporters plan to fly back to the city of Milan in northern Italy.
However, the Russian news agency TASS, citing the FSB, reported that criminal cases have been opened against the two journalists.
For more information about the situation and Russia's reaction, see RBC-Ukraine's article.
Situation in the Kursk region
As early as August 6, Russians began complaining about the fighting in the Kursk region. In the first days, Ukraine did not take responsibility for the fighting on the territory of the Russian Federation, but then President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the situation was under the control of the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that as of August 15, 82 Russian settlements were already under Ukrainian control.
Today, Zelenskyy said that the operation in the Kursk region is still ongoing, and Ukraine is successfully replenishing its exchange fund.
