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The main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched an investigation in a crime under paragraph “a” of part 2 of article 127 of the RF Penal Code (illegal deprivation of freedom by a group of people in conspiracy) and part 2 of article 144 (obstruction of legal professional activity of a journalist committed by a person using their official position) following deprivation of freedom and obstruction of professional activity of a special correspondent of the First Channel Alexandra Cherepnina.

Alexandra Cherepnina was in Kiev on editorial task of the First Channel. Last morning she failed to contact her colleagues and several hours later the Ukraine’s Security Service informed that the journalist had been deported from the country.

The fact that Cherepnina was released without any charges once more confirms the fact that her forcible detention and deportation is connected to the fact that the Russian journalist was writing and telling the truth about the events that are taking place in Ukraine which very much against the liking of current Ukrainian authorities. Today’s Ukraine is a unique state not only in Europe, but in the whole world, where kidnappings, violence, deportation and murders of journalists are churned out. I would call this “Bandera sterilization of journalism”. Not only Russian and foreign journalists fall victims to that, but local ones as well. The main and only reason why somebody is put on the black list is impartial information about the events happening in Ukraine.

I want to freshen your memory about some of many crimes recently committed by Ukrainian authorities against journalists.

In 2014, the following were killed in Ukraine: a special photojournalist of Russia Today Andrey Stenin, a cameraman of the Russian First Channel Anatoly Klyan, a correspondent of Vesti Igor Kornelyuk and a video engineer Anton Voloshin, a famous journalist, owner and editor-in-chief of Criminal Express newspaper Alexander Kuchinsky, editor-in-chief of Mariupol newspaper Khochu v SSSR (I want to the USSR) Sergey Dolgov, an Italian photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli and his translator Andrey Mironov. The following were killed in April 2015: famous Ukrainian journalists Oles Buzina and Sergey Sykhobok, an employee of the Russian TV Channel Zvezda Andrey Lunin was blown up in the village of Shirokino in Donetsk. Obstruction of legal activity of journalists happens all the time. A correspondent of the Fifth Channel Leonid Muravyov was illegally deported, journalists of Russian TV channel Lifenews were illegally held by the officials of the Security Service in Kiev and then banned from entering the country. In the beginning of the year journalists of Lifenews were also attacked and beaten several times in Kiev by radical groups. Journalists of the First Channel Yelena Makarova and Sergey Korenev and a correspondent of NTV company Andrey Grigoryev, employees of Russia 24 TV channel – a cameraman maxim Grinevich and journalist Ksenia Kolchina were held without any reasons. Correspondent of Segonya show on NTV Inna Osipova was not allowed in Ukraine. Security officials of Ukraine also have a habit of holding and beating journalists. Journalists of Zvezda Tv channel – a correspondent Yevgheny Davydov and sound engineer Nikita Konashenkov, a freelance photojournalist of Russia Today and France Press Maxim Vasilenko, his colleague – a correspondent of Krymsky Telegraph newspaper Yevghenia Korolyova were held and beaten. A journalist of RT Ruptly video agency Alina Yeprimyan was deported and all her materials were deleted; a famous Finnish journalist and politician Antero Aerola was beaten in the east of Ukraine. A British journalist Graham Phillips, who cooperated with the Russian TV channels Russia Today and Zvezda was held, beaten and he was also wounded in shelling.

To all appearance, current Ukraine’s authorities can’t understand that you can’t hide the truth by intimidating and killing journalists. The truth is the power, not vice-versa as heirs of Bandera’s ideology cynically believe using violence against defenseless and unarmed journalists. However, the impunity of the current Ukraine’s authorities will not last forever, they will have to pay for everything, including their crimes against journalists.

Head of Media Relations                                                                                                                          V.I. Markin