Video - Russia Today freelancer Britton Graham WP detained by Ukraine National Guard, whereabouts unknown.

Video - Russia Today freelancer @GrahamWP_UK detained by Ukraine National Guard, whereabouts unknown. More info here.

RT's British reporter Graham Phillips detained in Ukraine.

RT's British reporter Graham Phillips detained in Ukraine.(RBTH).

British reporter Graham Phillips who is working with the Russia Today television company, has been detained in Ukraine, the television company said on its website on Tuesday.

Independent British journalist Graham Phillips has been detained by Ukrainian law enforcement services, it said.

The British Embassy in Moscow is ready to provide consular support, if need be, in relation to the detention of British journalist Graham Phillips in Ukraine.

"We are aware of the reports concerning the arrest of a British subject in Ukraine. We are urgently investigating the circumstances of this incident and are ready to provide consular support, if need be," a representative of the British Embassy in Moscow told Interfax on Tuesday.

Phillips told RT that he was held by representatives of the Ukrainian National Guard at a checkpoint in Mariupol, the statement said.

The journalist was questioned and asked to show his accreditation ID. "A letter confirming his cooperation with the RT television channel did not satisfy the National Guard representatives," the television channel's spokesperson said.

Phillips was held "prior to the arrival of officials," RT said on its website.

Phillips told RT that the Ukrainians had explained to him that he was under arrest and could not leave.


Update from RT (Russian) [Google translate].


"Our stringer Graham Phillips was arrested at a checkpoint by people who, according to him, when we last communicated with him, introduce people from the National Guard and asked for his papers. After this contact with him was lost, we still can not get out to communicate with Graham, we are extremely worried that could happen to him. It is even more exciting after those events, which, as we all saw happened with television correspondents LifeNews », - said Alexei Kuznetsov, deputy head of the Russian edition of TV channel RT.

RT asked the British consular authorities in Ukraine and Russia, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom to help clarify the circumstances of the arrest and the location of a British citizen.