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American Journalist Held in Ukraine Freed

Vice reporter Simon Ostrovsky was taken by pro-Russian forces in Slovyansk

by
Batya Ungar-Sargon
April 24, 2014
Simon Ostrovsky en route to Donetsk after being freed in Ukraine on April 24, 2014. (Jean-François Bélanger/CBC)
Simon Ostrovsky en route to Donetsk after being freed in Ukraine on April 24, 2014. (Jean-François Bélanger/CBC)

Vice reporter Simon Ostrovsky has been released after being held for two days by pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukraine town of Slovyansk. CBC News reports that the journalist is en route to Donetsk.

“The CBC’s Nahlah Ayed, reporting from Donetsk, said Bélanger was driving in a CBC car when he spotted Ostrovsky walking along on a street “with his belongings in a plastic bag.”



Bélanger stopped, got Ostrovsky into the car, and headed toward Donetsk.”

Ostrovsky confirmed via Twitter that he had been safely released.

I’m out and safe. Thank you all for your support. Had no idea I had so many good friends.



— Simon Ostrovsky (@SimonOstrovsky) April 24, 2014

In his last video dispatch before his arrest, Ostrovsky can be seen questioning the man who would become his captor, the city’s self-appointed “people’s mayor,” Vyacheslav Ponomarev:

Batya Ungar-Sargon is a freelance writer who lives in New York. Her Twitter feed is @bungarsargon.