2 Italian journalists who filmed a report from Russia's Kursk Oblast to return to Italy after Russia's threats

Two Italian journalists whose news report about Ukraine-controlled areas in Russia’s Kursk Oblast angered the Russian authorities will return to Italy following threats from Russia.

Source: Radiotelevisione italiana (Rai), Italy’s national public broadcasting company, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On Friday, 16 August, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Italian ambassador with regard to what Russia claims to be an "illegal border crossing" by a group of Rai journalists.

Rai said that they decided to "order journalist Stefania Battistini and cameraman Simone Traini to temporarily return to Italy, in part to ensure their personal safety".

Baza, a Russian Telegram channel with sources in the Russian law enforcement, reported that the Russian Internal Ministry is planning to open criminal cases against the two Rai journalists.

Earlier this week, Battistini and Traini reported on the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ offensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. They likely were the first  foreign journalists to obtain permission to go there.

Battistini and Traini are set to fly back to Milan on Sunday, 18 August.

The Italian Foreign Ministry said its ambassador to Russia, Cecilia Piccioni, explained to the Russian government that Rai and its newsteams operated independently and autonomously.

"Journalism isn’t a crime. The possibility that Moscow authorities will put Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini on trial is unacceptable. Journalistic activities are not carried out with prior authorization," a joint statement by the Rai Usigrai trade union and the Italian National Press Federation (FNSI) reads.

This is not the first instance of Russia detaining foreign journalists and deporting them when Russian agents are caught abroad.

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