Russia’s Foreign Ministrysaid Tuesday it had summoned a senior U.S.

Embassy official in Moscow over what it called “provocative actions” of American journalists reporting from Ukrainian-held parts of the Kursk region, as well as an alleged U.S.

mercenary presence on Russian territory.The ministry said it expressed “strong protest” to U.S.

Embassy Chief of Mission Stephanie Holmes “in connection to the provocative actions of American reporters who illegally entered the Kursk region to produce propaganda for covering up the crimes of the Kyiv regime.” That move comes after CNNaired reports last week from the Russian-Ukrainianborder — where Ukraine mounted its surprise incursion two weeks ago — and the Kursk region town of Sudzha, which is currently under Ukrainian control.The Russian Foreign Ministrylodged a similar protest with Italy’s ambassador in Moscow last Friday after the Italian state broadcaster RAI aired the first foreign media report from the embroiled region in southwestern Russia.

RAI said its two reporters wouldreturn home for safety reasons after Russian police opened a criminal investigation into their reporting trip.In Tuesday’s statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said law enforcement authorities would “carry out the necessary investigative measures” in assessing U.S.

journalists’ work in the Kursk region.The ministry said it also summoned Holmes over “evidence that has emerged of the participation of American private military companies on the side of the Ukrainian armed forces during” the recent incursion into Russia.It did not identify the U.S.

private military companies by name, but Russian state media earlier reported that the American military lifestyle brand Forward Observations Groupposted photos on Instagram with the caption “the boys in Kursk.”