Who is Evan Gershkovich, the US journalist arrested in Russia for espionage

The arrest of US journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia on espionage charges has set off another round of row between Washington and Moscow.

Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Gershkovich was arrested by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSS) on Thursday for allegedly acting at the behest of the United States to collect “information constituting a state secret about the activities of an enterprise of the Russian military-industrial complex.”

The charge was vehemently denied by the Wall Street Journal, which sought the early release of its reporter.

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"The Wall Street Journal vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich."

The views were echoed by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who said he was "deeply concerned" by the arrest. US immediately sought access to Gershkovich but had not had any response.

Russia, however, maintained that he was “caught red-handed” "This is the responsibility of the FSB, they have already issued a statement," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "The only thing I can add is, as far as we know, he was caught red-handed."

Who is Evan Gershkovich?

The 31-year-old works as a correspondent with the Wall Street Journal. Having associated with the US-based newspaper for more than six years, Gershkovich has extensively covered the Russia-Ukraine war.

Gershkovich, who is fluent in Russian, was born to Soviet emigrants and raised in New Jersey.

He moved to Moscow in late 2017 to join the English-language Moscow Times, and subsequently worked for the French national news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP).

At the time Russia announced its "special military operation" in February 2022, Gershkovich was in London and preparing to return to Russia to join the WSJ’s Moscow bureau.

It was decided that he would live in London but travel to Russia frequently for reporting trips, as a correspondent accredited with the Foreign Ministry.

When was he arrested?

While covering a story at the industrial town of Yekaterinburg in the Ural mountains this week, Russia's Federal Security Service, the FSB, successor to the Soviet KGB, picked him up and detained him.

The WSJ said that Gershkovich suddenly was out of contact with his editors while working in Yekaterinburg, about 1,600km (1,000 miles) east of Moscow, on Wednesday afternoon.

US officials claimed Gershkovich's driver had dropped him off at a restaurant and two hours later his phone had been turned off, BBC reported.

The newspaper said 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.

What’s next?

According to Russian media, the court had already been cleared of staff and visitors and Gershkovich's lawyer said he had not been allowed into the courtroom.

Espionage in Russia carries a maximum jail term of 20 years. TASS news agency reported that the journalist had denied the charge. He was then seen being escorted from the building before being driven away.

(With inputs from agencies)

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