KOSTROMA, February 13 - RAPSI. Law enforcement authorities will verify a newspaper reporter's claim that he was threatened due to an article he planned to publish on police corruption, Albert Stepantsev, the paper's chief editor, told RIA Novosti on Sunday.

Stepanov said My City - Kostroma correspondent Rinat Musin received a phone call from an unidentified number on Sunday. The person introduced himself as an FSB officer and told him that his fellow agents would soon come to speak with him. Two men arrived to his home by car.

A man who called himself an FSB officer told him not to print his article "for the sake of his own security". He added that he could face "problems" and his car might "accidentally burn".

"We have filed an appeal with the law enforcement authorities regarding the claim that the editorial board was pressured. It has been sent to the Glasnost Protection Fund. The next issue has been delayed," Stepantsev said.

He added that the appeal was filed with the local FSB department, not the police.

The paper was established just six months ago and has had over 20 issues. Its chief editor believes it is the only independent newspaper in the region, which is why it is under pressure.