Russia is Europe's most dangerous country for journalists, Reporters Without Borders says

In a year which has seen an increase in the killing of journalists in the course of their work, Reporters Without Borders has released figures showing 1,668 have died in violence over the past two decades.

The war in Ukraine is the main cause of the upturn in 2022, with 8 journalists' deaths since Russia invaded.

This year 57 have lost their lives worldwide. Separately, 533 have been detained, 65 have been seized as hostages, while 49 have been reported as missing.

The NGO points to 2012 and 2013 as being the deadliest years for journalists on reporting missions. The war in Syria was the main factor in those years.

But it wasn't just war zones. Over two decades Russia has been Europe's most dangerous country with targeted killings of reporters such as Kremlin critic Ann Politkovskaya.

France also features near the top of Europe's perilous nation list, due to the one-off attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine in 2015, which killed 12 people.