On October 8, 2026, in Vienna, while performing his professional duties, journalist Mykhailo Tkach from 'Ukrainska Pravda' and his operator Yaroslav Bondarenko became victims of an aggressive detention that raised serious questions about the actions of Austrian law enforcement.
Circumstances of the Detention
Tkach reported that while traveling from one filming location to another, seven armed individuals in masks approached their vehicle. Without any explanations, they smashed the car windows, pulled the journalist and the operator onto the road, and tied their hands.
According to Tkach, one of the captors pressed his knee against his neck, demanding silence, despite Tkach trying to explain that he was a media representative. Initially, Tkach thought they were being kidnapped, only later noticing police vehicles.
Conditions of Detention and Interrogation
After the detention, Tkach spent about two hours in a solitary police cell. He had to completely undress and hand over his clothes. After his belongings were returned, he was weighed and measured. During the interrogation, which lasted about two hours, serious charges were presented to the journalist:
- Espionage in favor of the Ukrainian military intelligence;
- Participation in a criminal organization;
- Causing harm to Austria.
Tkach noted that during the interrogation, law enforcement did not provide any evidence of illegal activities, leading him to assume that Austrian investigators might have been misled.
Reaction and Support
Following the onset of the detention, Tkach was able to contact the Ukrainian consul, who arrived at the scene. The journalist expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian diplomats for their assistance, stating that their intervention significantly alleviated the situation. Tkach described the incident as an "extraordinary misunderstanding," suggesting that the detention could have occurred due to manipulated information.