Law enforcement is conducting searches at the Ural news agency URA.RU in Ekaterinburg, Russia, leading to the detention of several journalists. The agency’s operations have been reportedly suspended.

The searches began on the morning of June 5th, targeting the main editorial office of URA.RU. Denis Allayarov, head of the Sverdlovsk editorial office, along with journalists Sergei Bodrov and Anna Salymskaya, were detained at their residences.

URA.RU reports that Allayarov has been denied access to a lawyer. The investigation reportedly focuses on the sources of information regarding criminal events in the Sverdlovsk region. The agency, which employs over 200 people across eight regions of Russia, claims its work has been halted.

During the searches, members of the investigation team allegedly used force against URA.RU editor-in-chief Diana Kozlova. A lawyer is arranging a medical examination for her.

Baza suggests the searches may be connected to posts on a Telegram channel, with law enforcement seeking to identify the sources of information about police officers and officials.

Sources indicate that employees of the publication may face criminal liability under Article 272.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, concerning the illegal acquisition and use of personal data. The situation might be linked to the arrest in March 2025 of a former police officer accused of leaking official information to URA.RU.

URA.RU was founded in 2006. In 2011, the Central Election Commission of Russia accused the publication of unauthorized release of preliminary voting results during parliamentary elections.