On 27 August 2024, Russian state-controlled media reported that authorities opened criminal cases against foreign journalists who visited the town of Sudzha following its occupation by Ukrainian forces. The decision concerned Ukrainian journalist Natalia Nahorna, who reported for TV channel 1+1, as well as Deutsche Welle reporter Nick Connolly. Both were accused of illegally crossing Russia’s state border. If found guilty, they would face a sentence of up to five years in prison in absentia according to Russia’s criminal code.
The decision came amidst a Ukrainian military offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, in the course of which Ukraine captured several settlements near its border. Ukrainian and international journalists later arrived to the area to report on the situation. Several days earlier, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) initiated identical proceedings against three other foreign journalists who reported from Sudzha.
UPDATE: On 12 September 2024, Russian independent media reported that Russian authorities placed Nahorna and Connolly on the country’s ‘wanted’ list.
UPDATE: On 4 December 2024, Russian independent media reported that authorities had arrested Connolly in absentia.