NEW YORK, August 31. /TASS/. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has made a stand for Russian TV reporter Anna Kurbatova working for state-run nationwide Channel 1 who was expelled from Ukraine and called on the authorities in Kiev not to use retaliatory measures against media workers.

"We call on Ukrainian authorities to allow Anna Kurbatova and other Russian journalists to work without fear of abduction, deportation, and other means of reprisal," the CPJ said in a statement.

"Ukraine is in an information war with Russia, but singling out reporters for retaliation is not the means to win it," the committee stressed. "Kiev should fully embrace press freedom as a sign of its commitment to building a strong democracy."

On Wednesday afternoon, Russian TV channels reported that journalist Anna Kurbatova was abducted in Kiev. Kurbatova, 29, has repeatedly received threats over her coverage of events in Ukraine. News came later that she had been detained by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), as her reports allegedly "damaged national interests."

Later in the day, the Russian journalist was deported from the country with a three-year entry ban.