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Russian TV journalist reportedly abducted in Ukraine

According to Channel 1, Anna Kurbatova may have been detained by the Ukrainian security service

© Alexander Rybin/TASS

MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. Russia’s TV journalist Anna Kurbatova, from the nation-wide broadcaster Channel 1, has been abducted in Kiev, the Rossiya-24 TV news channel reports.

"Our colleague, Channel 1 journalist Anna Kurbatova was abducted in Kiev on Wednesday. She was taken to an unknown destination," Rossiya-24 said.

Channel 1 has confirmed the incident.

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"Earlier, Stavropol-born Anna Kurbatova, 29, repeatedly received threats over her coverage of events in Ukraine. On August 26 she was blacklisted on the Myrotvorets (Peacemaker) website outlawed in Russia. Anna was accused of biased coverage of the military parade timed for Ukraine’s Independence Day. Also, she was accused of manipulating with socially significant information and of participation in anti-Ukrainian propaganda," the Rossiya-24 newscaster said.

According to Channel 1, Kurbatova may have been detained by the Ukrainian security service SBU.

"Anna Kurbatova was abducted in the center of Kiev. All attempts to contact her have failed so far. Our colleague was seized near her home, put in a car and taken away. According to our sources Anna Kurbatova was detained by SBU agents," the TV presenter said, adding that earlier the Russian correspondent received threats.

The last seven news reports by Anna Kurbatova broadcasted on the First Channel were about the situation in Ukraine.

Before the abduction, Kurbatova had prepared a report on pressure against reporters in Ukraine and, a few days before that the First Channel had released her report on the military parade on the country’s Day of Independence.

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