Moscow Launches Criminal Probe Into Attack on LifeNews Journalists in Kiev

MOSCOW, January 2 (Sputnik) — Russia has launched a criminal investigation into obstructing the lawful activity of LifeNews TV channel journalists in Kiev, Russia's Investigative Committee spokesperson said Friday.

"A criminal case has been open into obstructing the lawful activity of a LifeNews TV channel journalist in the city of Kiev and also into the open theft of her belongings," Vladimir Markin said.

On January 1, Russian LifeNews TV channel said that two of its employees – a reporter and a cameraman — have been attacked while covering the nationalists torchlight march in Kiev. According to LifeNews, several unidentified persons wearing masks pushed the channel’s reporter Zhanna Karpenko and took her phone. The journalist fell on the ground and hurt her head. They also broke the equipment of the channel’s cameraman.

Markin said the Russian Investigative Committee is aware that the law enforcement authorities of Ukraine have also launched an investigation into the case. But the Russian investigators know that the current Ukrainian authorities “sympathize” with those who support the events like the Monday’s torchlight march. “We have serious grounds to assume that for the Ukrainian ministry of internal affairs launching a criminal case is a mere formality. And it is unlikely that any of the attackers or especially any of the masterminds will be held accountable for these crimes,” Markin said.

This is not the first time LifeNews journalists are being attacked in Ukraine. Late in November the channel's reporter Yevgeniya Zmanovskaya was attacked in Kiev as she was carrying out her editorial assignment.