Sloviansk separatists say they freed U.S. reporter Ostrovsky several days ago

10:42, 25.04.2014 1 min read

The pro-Russian activists of Sloviansk in southeastern Ukraine claim that they freed U.S. reporter Simon Ostrovsky two or three days ago, but an investigation against him continued until Friday.

"He was released from detention on Tuesday or Wednesday. However, an inquiry against him was conducted until recently, but he was freed," their spokesman said.

The spokesman suggested that the U.S. journalist had his own reasons not to announce his release.

"Obviously, he decided not to announce that he was free for his own personal motives. Maybe he wanted to make some public statement as soon as he was outside of Ukraine," he said.

Acting chief of the BBC Moscow Bureau Kevin Bishop said on Thursday that Ostrovsky had been released by the self-defense forces of the Donetsk region. This information was subsequently confirmed by the Vice News magazine.

Ostrovsky was detained by pro-Russian activists of Donetsk region. Sloviansk "people's mayor" Viacheslav Ponomariov accused the U.S. reporter of acting as a "Right Sector informant".