US journalist Evan Gershkovich has been arrested in Russia and accused of spying while working for the Wall Street Journal. An experienced Russia reporter, he was working in the city of Yekaterinburg at the time of his detention.
The White House has condemned his detention “in the strongest terms”.
The Kremlin claimed he had been caught “red-handed” but the Wall Street Journal vehemently denied the allegations against him.
Mr Gershkovich, 31, is well known among foreign correspondents in Moscow and BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg describes him as an excellent reporter and a highly principled journalist.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed the Wall Street Journal in saying he was “deeply concerned” by the arrest. US officials said they had immediately sought access to Mr Gershkovich but had not had any response.
The WSJ said its reporter had dropped out of contact with his editors while working in Yekaterinburg, about 1,600km (1,000 miles) east of Moscow, on Wednesday afternoon.
Credit: bbc.com
