The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has stripped Italian journalists Andrea Scherezini and Alfredo Bosco of their accreditation to work in the war zone. This was reported on February 19 by the newspaper La Stampa.

Shezerini believes that they may be suspected of cooperation with Russia and espionage. He also suggested that the loss of accreditation is related to the work of journalists in 2014 and 2015. Both journalists have been working in Ukraine since last year and have covered the situation in Donbass for Italian and international media.

Initially, the SBU officers were supposed to interrogate Shezerini and Bosco in Kramatorsk, but the meeting with the security officers did not take place there. Later, reporters arrived in Kyiv, but the situation was not clarified there either.

“We have nothing to fear, we provide all our data and ask you to call us as soon as possible. But no one calls us, ”la Stampa quotes the words of Shezerini.

In addition, another Italian journalist, Salvatore Gardzillo, was denied entry to Ukraine from Poland. According to the publication, he was removed from the train and sent back.

Earlier, on December 19, Danish Radio correspondent for Russia and Ukraine Matilda Kimer was deprived of press accreditation in Ukraine. The SBU told the journalist that some of her posts look like she sympathizes with Russia. In turn, the news director of Danish Radio, Sandy French, believes that the accusation against Kimer is unfounded and unfair.

Prior to that, on November 14, American human rights activist Ajamu Baraka said that the Kiev authorities canceled the accreditation of some Western media outlets for work in Kherson due to the ban on the Western press from recording human rights violations by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). According to Baraki, the Kyiv authorities do not want evidence of human rights violations and atrocities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine against citizens to penetrate into the Western media.

On the same day, it became known that at least six media representatives, including CNN and Sky News, lost their accreditation for reporting from Kherson. This decision was made by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.