MOSCOW-A US journalist working for the Wall Street Journal has been formally arrested in Russia and accused of spying. Evan Gershkovich, an experienced Russia reporter, was working in Yekaterinburg at the time of his detention.
The Wall Street Journal said it was “deeply concerned” for his safety and vehemently denied the allegations against him. The Kremlin claimed the reporter had been “caught red-handed”.
Russia’s FSB security service said it had “halted illegal activities” and that the reporter had been “acting on US instructions” and “collecting state secrets”.
Hours later, the security service took him to Lefortovo district court in Moscow for his formal arrest. He was later seen being escorted from the building before being driven away. The court ordered his detention until 29 May. His lawyer said he had not been allowed into the courtroom and Tass news agency reported the journalist had denied the charge.
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The court had earlier been cleared of staff and visitors because of a bomb threat, Russia’s Ria state news agency said.
The FSB confirmed in its statement that Evan Gershkovich had foreign ministry accreditation while working in Yekaterinburg, 1,800km (1,100 miles) east of Moscow. His most recent WSJ piece, published this week, reported on Russia’s declining economy and how the Kremlin was having to deal with “ballooning military expenditures” while maintaining social spending. Press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders said his latest piece involved Russian mercenary group Wagner, which has taken part in some of the heaviest fighting in eastern Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal said its reporter had dropped out of contact with his editors while working in Yekaterinburg on Wednesday afternoon. It had hired a lawyer to try to find him at the FSB headquarters in the city, but they told the lawyer they had no information.
The FSB claimed he had been detained “acting on US instructions” and that he had “collected information classified as a state secret about the activities of a Russian defence enterprise”.
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It said its investigation department had launched a criminal espionage case and one source told Russian media it was classed as “top secret”.
In a statement, the Wall Street Journal said it stood in solidarity with the reporter and his family: “The Wall Street Journal vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich.”