Russia on Thursday announced that it had arrested an American journalist on suspicion of spying for Washington.
As per media reports, the move was immediately denounced by the West, and demands were made for the Wall Street Journal reporter’s release.
Since President Vladimir Putin sent forces to Ukraine a year ago, Evan Gershkovich, 31, is the first foreign journalist to be accused of spying, and the news represented a significant uptick in the Kremlin’s efforts to intimidate perceived critics.
The Wall Street Journal said, “He was suspected of spying in the interests of the American government,” which also vehemently denied the FSB security agency announcement.
Media freedom organizations and Western officials criticized the detention’s announcement.
French foreign ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said, “We are particularly worried and have had the occasion to condemn the repressive attitude of Russia towards Russian and foreign media.”
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global organization that monitors the media, expressed concern over what appears to be retaliation.
On Thursday, the United States criticized Russia for holding an American writer who worked for The Wall Street Journal and declared it was requesting consular access.
US officials claimed that the State Department had called Russia and that they were in communication with both the newspaper and the family of imprisoned journalist Evan Gershkovich.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement, “The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr. Gershkovich in the strongest terms.”
“I want to strongly reiterate that Americans should heed the US government’s warning to not travel to Russia. US citizens residing or traveling in Russia should depart immediately.”
The allegation of espionage is ridiculous, Jean-Pierre later told reporters in response to the claim that the journalist was spying.
According to the White House, President Joe Biden had been informed of the detention.
In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken linked the detention to Russia’s crackdown on the media, whose ties with the United States had deteriorated since the invasion of Ukraine.
“In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the Kremlin’s continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish journalists and civil society voices,” Blinken said.
