The courtroom stated Christo Grozev had illegally crossed the Russian border. (Representational)
Moscow:
A Moscow courtroom on Friday ordered the arrest in absentia of Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev, whose reporting for the Bellingcat information outlet has angered Russia, RIA information company stated.
The courtroom stated Grozev had illegally crossed the Russian border. RIA cited a legislation enforcement supply as saying that Grozev was accused of facilitating the escape of Roman Dobrokhotov, the editor of a Russian information outlet, who left Russia in 2021.
Friday’s order was issued three weeks after the arrest of U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich on costs of spying.
Grozev has probed the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and the downing of the MH17 passenger airplane over japanese Ukraine. Russia denies accountability for any of these assaults.
Grozev, lead Russia investigator for Bellingcat, has additionally reported on the Russian conflict in opposition to Ukraine.
Dobrokhotov works for The Insider, which has cooperated with Bellingcat on Russian tasks. After the courtroom order, Grozev tweeted: “As Dobrokhotov stated, ‘Why do not they only poison us in absentia and simply get it over with'”.
Grozev retains his whereabouts hidden for safety causes. In December 2022, Russia’s inside ministry put him on a wished listing, prompting a protest from Bulgaria.
Individually, Interfax stated the Russian justice ministry had on Friday added Grozev to its listing of international brokers, accusing him of distributing “unreliable details about the choices made by public authorities”.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)