Journalist's abduction is provocation - administration of Donetsk People's Republic
MOSCOW. May 12 (Interfax) - Miroslav Rudenko, co-chairman of the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, believes Novaya Gazeta journalist Pavel Kanygin could have been abducted by bandits or saboteurs who are looking to discredit the Donetsk region's self-defense forces.
"Demanding a ransom is not our method. The self-defense forces will never stoop to that level. If they are demanding a ransom, it's most likely saboteurs or simply gangsters who are using the name of self-defense forces as a cover,' Rudenko told Interfax.
Ekho Moskvy radio earlier reported that Novaya Gazeta journalist Pavel Kanygin was abducted by unknown individuals in Ukraine. According to Ekho Moskvy, the journalist sent a text message to some of his colleagues last night saying 'I have been abducted, call Moscow."
In the meantime, Mustafa Nayem, a journalist with the Ukrainian television channel Hromadske.tv, has posted his SMS correspondence with Kanygin on Facebook. "I have been abducted, they are demanding $30,000," the Novaya Gazeta journalist said, adding that he is in Artyomovsk, Donetsk region.