Pro-Russian insurgents hold journalist hostage

By: 11 years ago

In this photo taken on Sunday, April 13, 2014, a reporter Simon Ostrovsky, right, stands next to a Pro-Russian gunman at a seized police station in the eastern Ukraine town of Slovyansk. Pro-Russian gunmen in eastern Ukraine say they are holding an American journalist captive. Ostrovsky, a journalist for Vice News, has not been seen since early Tuesday. AP

DONETSK, Ukraine—Pro-Russian gunmen in eastern Ukraine say they are holding an American journalist captive.

Simon Ostrovsky, a journalist for Vice News, has not been seen since early Tuesday.

Stella Khorosheva, a spokeswoman for the pro-Russian insurgents in the eastern city of Slovyansk, confirmed Wednesday that Ostrovsky was being held at the local branch of the Ukrainian security service that they seized more than a week ago.

Khorosheva told The Associated Press Ostrovsky is “fine” and is “suspected of bad activities” which she refused to explain. She says the insurgents are holding Ostrovsky pending their own investigation.

In a statement, Vice News says it “is in contact with the U.S. State Department and other appropriate government authorities to secure the safety and security of our friend and colleague, Simon Ostrovsky.”