MOSCOW, July 26 (RIA Novosti) – Russia Today (RT) contributor Graham Phillips announced Friday that he is currently in Poland as he has been deported from Ukraine following a detention.
“I'm free, ok, deported from Ukraine, banned for 3 years, because 'I work for RT'. My car, money, bullet-proof vest taken by Ukrainian army,” Phillips wrote on his Twitter account.
Phillips confirmed that his accounts on social networks Facebook and VKontakte have been hacked and the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has deleted “every single file” on his computer.
On Friday, several messages in the Ukrainian language were posted on Phillips’ Facebook account.
Earlier reports said the SBU detained Phillips in Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, and after an interrogation announced a decision to expel him out of the country.
Phillips said he “wasn’t beaten” but had “a difficult day” being detained by the Ukrainian army at the Donetsk airport.
“They asked me lots of questions about the Donetsk Republic. I refused to answer, they put me in a room next to artillery position, being fired at,” he wrote.
The reporter said doing to the airport at night to film was entirely his own decision and RT told him “in strong terms not to go.”
Four journalists, including Phillips, went missing in the combat zone in eastern Ukraine early Wednesday. The Russian Foreign Ministry called for an immediate release of the journalists.
The UK Foreign Office earlier said it was in close contact with the Ukrainian authorities and was rendering all necessary support to Phillips' family.
