US journalist from Wall Street Journal is arrested in Russia on suspicion of spying
American journalist Evan Gershkovich, 31, is arrested in Russia on suspicion of espionage after visiting Yekaterinburg to write about the feared Wagner group for the Wall Street Journal.
- The FSB said Evan Gershkovich was detained for alleged ‘illegal activities’
- He was ‘acting on instructions’ from the US government, it was alleged
An American journalist has been detained in Russia on suspicion of spying, the FSB state security service said.
Evan Gershkovich, 31, was held in Yekaterinburg in the Urals, where he was on assignment for The Wall Street Journal.
The reporter, an accredited foreign correspondent in Moscow, was detained for alleged “illegal activities” and was “suspected of spying for the US government,” the FSB said.
Allegedly, he was “engaged in the collection of information about one of the companies of the Russian military-industrial complex” that constitute “state secrets”.
He was “acting on instructions” from the United States government, it was alleged.
Evan Gershkovich, 31, was held in Yekaterinburg in the Urals, where he was on assignment for The Wall Street Journal.
Sources confirmed to the Yekaterinburg publication It’s My City that the Wall Street Journal journalist had been detained.
PMC Wagner mercenaries pose in Popasna (file photo). Russian reports suggest that Gershkovich had gone to Yekaterinburg to write about people’s attitudes to Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine and the recruitment of locals for the Wagner private military company.
“While trying to obtain secret information, an American was detained in Yekaterinburg,” the FSB said, providing no evidence for its allegations.
Reports suggest he was held last night at the Bukowski Grill restaurant and led by plainclothes officers to a waiting vehicle with a sweater on his head.
Russian reports suggest that he had gone to Yekaterinburg to write about people’s attitudes to Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine and the recruitment of locals for the Wagner private military company.
There was concern for Gershkovich when he did not contact his editorial office.
He has lived in Moscow for six years, working as a journalist.
He is an American citizen born to parents from the Soviet Union.
The reporter, an accredited foreign correspondent in Moscow, was detained for alleged “illegal activities” and was “suspected of spying for the US government,” the FSB said.
Gershkovich was allegedly ‘engaged in the collection of information about one of the companies of the Russian military industrial complex’ which constitute ‘state secrets’
Gershkovich was ‘acting on instructions’ from the US government, it was alleged
“While trying to obtain secret information, an American was detained in Yekaterinburg,” the FSB said, providing no evidence for its allegations.
There was concern for Gershkovich when he failed to contact his newsroom
Reports suggest he was held last night at the Bukowski Grill restaurant and led by plainclothes officers to a waiting vehicle with a sweater on his head.
Pictured: The Bukowski Grill, where Gershkovich is reported to have been taken away by plainclothes officers.
Local sources said Gershkovich had taken a trip to the city several weeks ago and returned this week.
Russia has rarely made accusations of espionage against accredited Western correspondents in the country.
However, many reputable Western media correspondents left the country when the war began 13 months ago amid concerns it was unsafe to stay.
Political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya suggested that Gershkovich had been “taken hostage” by the FSB.
Moscow has been accused in the past of arresting foreigners, especially Americans, to use in barter exchanges for Russians detained in the United States.
Espionage convictions can lead to jail sentences of up to 20 years.