Moscow files lawsuit against news agency reporter over illegal border crossing

(MENAFN) Russian authorities have leveled charges against CNN's chief international security correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, accusing him of illegally crossing the state border into Russia. The charges follow Walsh's recent reporting from the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha. This town, with a pre-conflict population of around 5,000, was overtaken by Ukrainian forces during their incursion into Russia's Kursk Region, which commenced on August 6. While many residents have fled, some civilians remain in the area.

Alongside Walsh, similar charges have been filed against two journalists from the Italian broadcaster RAI and two Ukrainian reporters. Walsh and his team were reportedly invited to Sudzha by the Ukrainian government and traveled in an armored convoy with Ukrainian soldiers. They documented the damage in the town and interviewed Russian civilians seeking refuge in shelters.

CNN's Anderson Cooper has defended Walsh, stating that Ukrainian military personnel merely accompanied the team and reviewed footage for operational security purposes but did not control the editorial content of CNN’s reporting. The network asserts that its coverage has been fair and unbiased, presenting both Ukrainian and Russian perspectives on the conflict. CNN maintains that Walsh's actions were in line with journalistic rights protected by the Geneva Convention and international law.

In contrast, Moscow has criticized Western journalists, accusing them of disseminating Ukrainian propaganda. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that such journalists are neglecting to report on alleged Ukrainian crimes against civilians and are instead manipulating public opinion. Russian officials report that Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk Region has resulted in at least 31 civilian deaths and 143 injuries.

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