Russia arrests US journalist on espionage allegations

RUSSIA | US | JOURNALIST

MOSCOW - An American journalist has been detained on suspicion of spying for Washington, Russia said Thursday, drawing immediate outrage from the West with the White House condemning the allegation as "ridiculous".

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is believed to be the first foreign journalist held for spying in post-Soviet Russia, and his arrest is expected to escalate the Kremlin's confrontation with the West amid Moscow's assault on Ukraine.

The Wall Street Journal said it was deeply concerned for Gershkovich's safety and denied the claim from the FSB security service that he was "spying in the interests of the American government".

The 31-year-old journalist's detention, on charges that carry a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars, is also a serious escalation in the Kremlin's sweeping crackdown on the media.

US officials said they were in touch with Gershkovich's family and that the State Department had requested consular access.

The White House condemned the arrest and warned Americans not to travel to Russia, and those now inside the country to leave for their own safety.

"The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr. Gershkovich in the strongest terms," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

"The charge of espionage is ridiculous," she later added.

The European Union on Thursday condemned Russia's "systematic disregard" of press freedom.

"Journalists must be allowed to exercise their profession freely and deserve protection," EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell tweeted.

Evan Gershkovich, US Wall Street Journal journalist detained in Russia on suspicion of spying for Washington, is escorted out of the Lefortovsky court in Moscow on March 30, 2023. (AFP)

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly echoed that sentiment, and added that Britain stands "shoulder-to-shoulder with the US in defence of these fundamental democratic principles".

US officials refused to be drawn on concerns that Gershkovich's arrest could be Moscow's latest effort to engineer a hostage swap.

"This is not a new tactic for Mr. Putin and for Russian officials to detain foreigners and in particular Americans," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

'Caught red handed'

Gershkovich was detained in Yekaterinburg, some 1,800 kilometres (1,100 miles) east of Moscow, then transferred to the capital and placed in detention until May 29 pending trial.

Reporters Without Borders said he was investigating the Wagner Group, the privately-run army playing a prominent role in Russia's military offensive in Ukraine. The group is controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of Putin.

The FSB claimed however that Gershkovich was detained "while attempting to obtain classified information" on Russia's military.

Both the Kremlin and the foreign ministry claimed the journalist was "caught red handed".

A law enforcement source told state news agency TASS that the case files were "top secret" and that Gershkovich had said he was not guilty of spying.

Media under attack

Gershkovich's family immigrated to the United States from Russia when he was a child.

A fluent Russian speaker, he worked for Agence France-Presse in Moscow before joining the Wall Street Journal early last year.

US journalist Evan Gershkovich pictured on July 24, 2021. (AFP)

He was previously a reporter for The Moscow Times, an English-language news website.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned Washington against putting pressure on Russian media working in the United States, saying this "must not happen".

Gershkovich's arrest comes as Western journalists in Russia face increasing restrictions.

Staff of Western media outlets often report being tailed, particularly during trips outside of the major urban hubs of Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

Many Russians are reluctant to speak to foreign media, due to strict censorship laws adopted in the wake of the Ukraine offensive.

"The problem is that recently updated Russian legislation and the FSB's interpretation of espionage today allow for the imprisonment of anyone who is simply interested in military affairs," said Russian political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya.

'Too soon' to discuss swap

The arrest sparked speculation that Moscow wants to hold Gershkovich to swap for one of its own citizens held in the West.

There have been several such high-profile prisoner exchanges between Moscow and Washington over the past year.

In December, Moscow freed US basketball star Brittney Griner -- arrested for bringing cannabis oil into the country -- in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Several US citizens are currently in detention in Russia, and Washington has sought to arrange an exchange for Paul Whelan, a former US Marine, arrested in in 2018 and handed a 16-year sentence on espionage charges. He is held in a penal colony south of Moscow.

But Russia's foreign ministry said Thursday it was too early to discuss any potential swap.

"Some exchanges that took place in the past, they were for people who were already serving their sentences," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters.

Authorities have also used espionage charges against Russian journalists.

Last year, Russia jailed a former defence reporter, Ivan Safronov, for 22 years on treason charges.

Safronov worked for business newspaper Kommersant and space agency Roscosmos and was one of Russia's most prominent journalists covering defence.