Shocking CCTV footage shows paramilitaries and Russian Cossacks attacking journalists after taking cameras and equipment from another news team.

CCTV footage has been released showing the moment a masked paramilitary holds a gun to the head of a Bulgarian journalist.

The shocking scenes played out on the streets of Simferopol, near the parliament building, after a camera crew was told to stop filming by a group of masked an armed men.

According to eyewitness account, the crew were beaten at gunpoint and had their equipment loaded into a white van. The paramilitaries then turned their attention to two photographers on the opposite side of the street.

In an interview posted to the crimea.ua news site one of the journalists attacked stated; “We were sitting in a restaurant when masked gunmen entered the building opposite and began to take out the equipment.

“This was clearly television studio equipment. I quickly took a few photos on my phone, as they carried the equipment. One of the masked men approached me, put me on the ground, put a gun to his head to me and just took my phone and my friend’s camera.

“Then they returned to the van, the vehicle had no licence plate, and they left.”

He added; “Here now, the military situation there is no law. People who do this, clearly are not subject to any laws.”

Journalists from the German newspaper Bild were also reportedly attacked this week in the same region.