[KARAH RUCKER]

RUSSIA’S FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE HAS LAUNCHED CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AGAINST SEVERAL JOURNALISTS — INCLUDING CNN’S CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT NICK PATON WALSH — FOR ALLEGEDLY CROSSING INTO RUSSIAN TERRITORY ILLEGALLY.

WALSH — ALONG WITH TWO UKRAINIAN JOURNALISTS — ARE ACCUSED OF ENTERING THE KURSK REGION WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.

LAST WEEK — THE FSB PRESSED SIMILAR CHARGES AGAINST TWO ITALIAN REPORTERS FOR THE SAME OFFENSE.

THE FSB CLAIMS THE JOURNALISTS WERE IN SUDZHA, A TOWN NOW CONTROLLED BY UKRAINIAN FORCES, TO FILM A REPORT AMID UKRAINE’S ONGOING OFFENSIVE IN THE REGION.

UKRAINIAN TROOPS RECENTLY MADE SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN KURSK — MARKING THE LARGEST FOREIGN MILITARY INCURSION INTO RUSSIA SINCE WORLD WAR II.

THIS LEGAL ACTION FOLLOWS A CNN REPORT THAT AIRED ON AUGUST 16 — SHOWING FOOTAGE OF SUDZHA AS A GHOST TOWN — WITH A FEW ELDERLY RESIDENTS REMAINING. WALSH AND HIS TEAM TRAVELED WITH A UKRAINIAN MILITARY CONVOY — HIGHLIGHTING THE AFTERMATH OF UKRAINE’S SURPRISE INCURSION INTO RUSSIAN TERRITORY.

THE REPORT FURTHER ESCALATED TENSIONS — WITH MOSCOW SUMMONING A SENIOR U.S. DIPLOMAT EARLIER IN THE WEEK — ACCUSING AMERICAN JOURNALISTS OF “PROVOCATIVE ACTIONS” IN THEIR COVERAGE OF THE CONFLICT.

THE FSB IS NOW PREPARING TO PLACE PATON WALSH AND THE UKRAINIAN  JOURNALISTS ON AN INTERNATIONAL WANTED LIST — THEIR CHARGES CARRY A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS.

THE FSB’S ACTIONS COME AS RUSSIAN FORCES STRUGGLE TO RECLAIM CONTROL OVER THE KURSK REGION AND FEND OFF FURTHER UKRAINIAN ADVANCES.

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