reporter with wall street journal Arrested in Russia for espionage The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) made the announcement on Thursday.
Evan Gershkovich, US citizen detained in the city Yekaterinburg mid west The counterintelligence agency confirmed to state media the FSB that Gershkovich “Suspected of spying for the interests of the US government” and “his illegal activities… suspended”
The FSB added that Gershkovich was arrested “while attempting to obtain classified information” and that he “followed the instructions of the United States” while collecting materials. “At the activities of one of the organizations of the Russian military-industrial complex ”, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said that these documents are considered “protests”. “State Secret”
The FSB investigative department opened a criminal case on espionage against Gershkovich under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of Russia. If convicted, according to Meduza, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Report of a man being detained in Yekaterinburg It appeared in local media on Wednesday. One of the city’s Telegram channels reported that a reader saw a kidnapped person at the Bukowski Grill restaurant in the city center. Yekaterinburg Eyewitnesses said the person was taken away by what was presumed to be “Security forces in civilian uniforms” board the minibus. “The sweater was pulled over his head. (of the detainee) so that passersby would not see his face,” the report said.
Public relations clerk Yaroslav Shirshikov, writing on his own Telegram account, commented on the reports that Gershkovich was the man in custody. Yekaterinburg Shirshikov claimed that Gershkovich was interested in public attitudes towards the Wagner PMC mercenary group and that he worked safely in the city for several days before leaving for Moscow.
A source among Western journalists in the Russian capital told Meduza that, like the visit, Yekaterinburg Gershkovich also traveled to Nizhny Tagil in the Sverdlovsk Oblast. Nizhny Tagil is the headquarters of the Uralvagonzavod It is a defense company which is the largest tank manufacturer in Russia.
according to wall street journalGershkovich covers Russia, Ukraine and the former Soviet Union for this article. He previously worked for Agence France-Presse. Moscow Timesand New York Times.
The daily beast contacted wall street journal and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to comment.
