ABC denies Russian claims of illegal border crossing by its journalists

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has denied Russian claims that two of its journalists, Kathryn Diss and Fletcher Yeung, illegally crossed into Russia from Ukraine on August 31. The ABC stated the journalists entered legally while reporting from the Ukraine-occupied Kursk region. Russian authorities have initiated criminal investigations against Diss, Yeung, and Romanian journalist Barbu Mircea for allegedly crossing the state border illegally. The ABC emphasized that the journalists were in compliance with international law during their reporting. This incident marks the first time ABC journalists have entered Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Russian Federal Security Service has opened cases against multiple foreign journalists for similar border crossings since mid-August.