An undated ID photo of journalist Evan Gershkovich, detained in Russia for espionage
AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
An undated ID photo of journalist Evan Gershkovich, detained in Russia for espionage
AFP via Getty Images
Russia’s intelligence services have detained a U.S. citizen working for the Wall Street Journal’s Moscow bureau on charges of espionage.
Evan Gerskovich was on a reporting assignment in the Ural mountain city of Yekaterinburg when he was detained by agents from Russia’s Federal Security Services, the FSB, which accused him of carrying out “illegal activities” on behalf of the U.S. government.
In a statement, the agency accused Gerskovich, of “acting on an assignment from the American side, was gathering information classified as a state secret about the activity of one of the enterprises of Russia’s military-industrial complex.”
The Urals mountain region is home to various Russian military factories.
The Wall Street Journal issued a statement denying the charges and says it is “deeply concerned about the safety” of Gerskovich.
Russia has introduced a slew of new restrictive laws surrounding media and information amid the war in Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal is one of a small handful of western media outlets to have continued to report in Moscow despite the restrictive environment.
The Kremlin said it was aware of the arrest but called it “the prerogative” of the FSB.
“The only thing I can say is that, as far as we’re aware, they caught him red-handed,” said Kremlin spokesmen Dmitry Peskov, in a call with reporters.
Peskov also noted that the Wall Street Journal could continue its work in Russia.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry — which issues visas and accreditation to foreign journalists — expressed support for Gerskovich’s arrest.
“Unfortunately, it’s not the first time the status of ‘foreign correspondent’, a journalist visa, and accreditation have been used by foreigners in our country to cover for activities that have nothing to do with journalism,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Russia’s Kommersant daily newspaper, said Gerskovich would soon be transported to Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, the FSB’s pre-trial detention facility.
Espionage charges in Russia can carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
Gerskovich has covered Russia since 2017, working with The Moscow Times and France’s Agency-France Presse before joining the Wall Street Journal’s Moscow bureau.
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