MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) initiated a criminal case over the illegal crossing of border by Italian reporters working in Sudzha, Kursk Region, the FSB press office said.

"The FSB has initiated and investigates a criminal case over charges of illegal crossing of border against foreign reporters Simone Traini and Stefania Battistini, who illegally crossed the state border of the Russian Federation and took video footage in the settlement of Sudzha, Kursk Region," the press office said.

"The agency is also carrying out a legal assessment of the materials published in mass media, which prove the presence of [CNN] foreign reporter Nick Paton Walsh in the ‘Sudzha’ Russian border checkpoint, and a procedure decision will be made after the analysis is complete," the FSB added.

These charges carry a hefty fine or an imprisonment of up to four years.

Previously, the TG1 TV channel published the Italian journalists’ report. Various Telegram channels also reported that Nick Paton Walsh filed a report at the ‘Sudzha’ border checkpoint.