An American journalist has been arrested in Russia for "
espionage
", according to Russian diplomatic spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Evan Gershkovich, collaborator of the Wall Street Journal in Yekaterinburg would have been caught, according to her, "
hand in the bag
".
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According to the Russian media, which relays the statement of the FSB, the journalist is currently detained in Yekaterinburg, a city located more than 1,700 kilometers east of Moscow, in the Ural mountains.
Evan Gershkovich had worked for more than a year in Russia for the Wall Street Journal and investigated in particular the Wagner group and its action in Ukraine.
The journalist had worked in particular on the relays of the leader of the militia Prigojine in the circles of power in the Kremlin.
"
The FSB foiled the illegal activity of the accredited correspondent [...] of the Moscow office of the American newspaper
Wall Street Journal
, the
United States citizen
Evan Gershkovich
", also indicated the FSB which accuses him of having collected information "
on a company of the
Russian military-industrial complex".
The American daily "
vehemently refuted
" on Thursday the espionage charges brought by Moscow against its journalist and "
calls for the immediate release of Evan Gershkovich, a reliable and conscientious journalist
", the newspaper said in a statement.
"
We stand in solidarity with Evin and his family
."
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Russian-speaking, the 31-year-old journalist, of Russian origin, had previously worked at Agence
France-Presse
in Moscow.
He had also collaborated with the English-language newspaper
Moscow Time
after a stint at the
New York Times,
also specified the New York daily
.
No Western journalist had previously been detained in Russia.
