Russian journalists ‘detained’ near Kramatorsk in E. Ukraine

Published time: May 18, 2014 11:53
Edited time: May 18, 2014 12:29

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Journalists Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko. Image from www.lifenews.ru

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Accident, Army, Conflict, Military, Russia,Ukraine

?Russian journalists from LifeNews channel were stopped by Kiev’s armed forces on Sunday and contact has been lost with them, the channel said in a statement. Last week, the same crew came under fire from Kiev’s army, as well as RT’s video agency crew.

Journalists Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko have probably been captured at a checkpoint near the city of Kramatorsk.

“There is no communication with them,” the statement says, as cited by Itar-Tass news agency.

The last time the crew established contact with the editorial board was about 09:50 GMT (13:50 Moscow time), when they reached a checkpoint near Kramatorsk. The only thing Oleg Sidyakin managed to sms was that “things look bad.”

After receiving the sms message, the office immediately called Oleg Sidyakin, who accepted the call, but could not speak and kept the phone connected, so that Moscow could hear down-the-line that the journalists were being interrogated.

Since the connection was lost, all attempts to get in touch with the crew have been in vain. The current whereabouts of the journalists remain unknown.

A man who accompanied the LifeNews crew has confirmed that the journalists are being questioned by armed men, presumably Ukrainian law enforcement.

The administration of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic told Interfax news agency that they have nothing to do with the journalists’ detainment.

“We have no information about detention of the crew and our self-defense militia have no news of the journalists’ arrest,” said Anna Shershneva, the agency’s press secretary of the administration.

Ukrainian armed forces opened fire on the same LifeNews crew working near the city of Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, where fighting is ongoing between self-defense forces and Kiev’s army.

Correspondent Oleg Sidyakin used to work for LifeNews in Russia’s regions. He reported on the Volgograd terrorist acts last December. He was then sent to Ukraine to report on the political crisis in the country. He also reported from Crimea during the process of reunification with Russia.

While working in Kiev during the clashes, Sidyakin sustained a gunshot in the leg but never stopped his LIVE broadcasting.

Marat Saicheko is a prominent photographer and a cameraman. He used to work in hot spots Libya and Syria. In the West he is primarily known as the first person who managed to take photos of the oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky while he was in prison.

 http://www.hart-brasilientexte.de/2014/05/17/ukraine-2014-die-lage-in-mariupol-version-der-neuen-zurcher-zeitung-prorussische-separatisten-verlassen-mariupol-suddeutsche-zeitung-berichtet-das-gegenteil/