UPD: Journalist Sergey Bodrov was released home after being questioned as a witness. Bodrov's lawyer, Georgy Krasnov, stated that his client is not detained and is in the procedural status of a witness. Bodrov is a witness in a case regarding abuse of power by officials for personal gain. "Sergey has signed a non-disclosure agreement regarding the preliminary investigation data," added Krasnov.
Sergey Bodrov works at Ura.ru as a crime reporter and regularly releases news citing "sources in law enforcement," he also covers court sessions related to murders and accidents.
Investigative Committee officers came with searches to the editorial office of the Ural information agency URA.RU in Yekaterinburg. This was reported by the publication itself. Searches are taking place not only in the office but also in the apartments of several journalists.
According to E1.ru, journalists Anna Salimskaya, Sergey Bodrov, and editor Denis Allayarov have been detained.
According to one version, the investigation is related to the transfer of internal Ministry of Internal Affairs reports to journalists, claim telegram channels affiliated with law enforcement. Allegedly, a former police officer gave testimony against the publication's staff during interrogations in March.
According to another version, the agency's executive director, Mikhail Vyugin, possibly organized a trip to Yekaterinburg for The Washington Times correspondent Mark Bennetts "in the interests of the chairman of the NGO 'Doctors' Alliance,' which was later recognized as a 'foreign agent' by the Ministry of Justice."
The editorial office itself released an official statement confirming the searches. According to the publication's representatives, they are not connected to organizing an event "in the interests of the 'Doctors' Alliance.'"
"Simultaneously, a search is underway in the apartments of several journalists of the Sverdlovsk editorial office. Investigators are interested in the sources of information about criminal events in the Sverdlovsk region," the statement said.
In a fragment of video, it is visible that one of the law enforcement officers came to the publication's office with a sledgehammer.