FOUR UKRAINIANS DETAINED IN VIENNA OVER SUSPECTED SPYING

VIENNA, OCTOBER 9 /SRNA-Reuters/ - Four Ukrainians have been arrested in Vienna on suspicion of espionage, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said today.

Karner said three of them remained in custody but declined to provide further details about the arrests carried out this week because the investigation was ongoing.

Sevgil Musaieva, editor-in-chief of the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper, said on Facebook that investigative journalist Mykhailo Tkach had been released after being detained for half a day.

"However, his communication devices have not been returned, so the editorial office is currently unable to contact him directly," Musaieva said.

She said cameraman Yaroslav Bondarenko was injured during the arrest.

Austrian magazine Profil, citing the Vienna prosecutor's office, reported that Bondarenko was expected to be released shortly.

The magazine said the other two suspects were being investigated on suspicion of spying for Ukrainian intelligence and remained in custody while the investigation continued.

Austria's APA news agency quoted a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Embassy in Vienna as saying the embassy was awaiting an explanation from the Austrian authorities about the circumstances and legal grounds for the arrests.