# Austrian Intelligence Detains Ukrainian Reporters

October 9, 2026 at 05:59 PM

> Vienna authorities released investigative journalist Mychajlo Tkatsch after a brief espionage detention during a money laundering probe.

Austrian intelligence service [DSN](<https://austriareport.com/entity/directorate-state-protection-and-intelligence-service-q105967569>) detained four Ukrainians in Vienna on October 2 and 8, 2024, on suspicion of espionage. Among those held was 37-year-old **Mychajlo Tkatsch**, an investigative reporter for [Ukrajinska Prawda](<https://austriareport.com/entity/ukrainska-pravda-q904463>), and his cameraman **Jaroslaw Bondarenko**.

Tkatsch was held for twelve hours while researching former Prosecutor General [Ruslan Krawtschenko](<https://austriareport.com/entity/ruslan-kravchenko-q116691867>) regarding money laundering. Authorities seized his phone and laptop, while Bondarenko required hospitalization for injuries sustained during the arrest process.

The Ministry of the Interior later stated suspicions against Tkatsch were unsubstantiated, leading to his release. The Ukrainian embassy has requested a formal legal basis for the arrests as the identities of the two other detainees remain undisclosed.


[#Vienna](<https://austriareport.com/hashtag/vienna>) #Journalism [#Espionage](<https://austriareport.com/hashtag/espionage>) #Ukraine #PressFreedom

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