Every detention of Russian media professionals in Ukraine is being tracked by staff of the Russian embassy in Kiev, press attaché Oleg Grishin told ITAR-TASS on Thursday.
“Each case is being surveyed. We are in touch with local authorities. We’ve repeatedly sent notes to Ukraine but our contacts remain unattended,” he said.
Reports of journalists' professional activities being obstructed by Ukrainian military forces and law enforcement agencies were arriving from across the country, Grishin added.
“Such actions runs counter to international law regulating the activities of media people in a foreign country, to say nothing of numerous Ukrainian pledges not to apply restrictions on activity of foreign journalists,” the diplomat said, adding that “such practice should stop immediately”.
The latest detention of a Russian journalist was reported at Kiev's Zhulyany airport on June 25, when a cameraman of Russian TV channel was held at customs control, Ukraine's ministry of revenues and fees told ITAR-TASS on Thursday.
The journalist was accused of violating customs control procedures in choosing the green customs corridor and moving goods exceeding the limit, a customs statement said. “The case is being passed to a court for ruling on a fine,” it added.
Officials released the cameraman on the same day. Neither his name nor the name of his organization was given.