Russia’s FSB detains Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, opens criminal case on ‘spying’ charges

Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich has been detained in Russia’s Yekaterinburg, reporter Dmitry Kolezev said, citing two sources.

7x7 writes that Gershkovich has not contacted his editor’s office since late 29 March. Prior to that, the reporter was in Yekaterinburg for several weeks and interviewed local resident Yaroslav Shirshkov. The man accompanied him in the city and introduced him to other people. The journalist was interested to learn more about the attitudes among Russians to the mercenary Wagner Group.

On 29 March, Yekaterinburg’s Vechernie Vedomosti reported that law enforcement agents dressed in civilian clothing detained a man and pulled a sweater over his head in the centre of the city near Bukowski Grill restaurant where Shirshikov and Gershkovich previously met. Shirshikov believed that it could have been the reporter.

UPDATE
A criminal case was opened against Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich on “espionage” charges, state-affiliated RIA Novosti news agency reports, citing the FSB. The report was also confirmed by TASS, another state-run news agency.

“He was ordered by the US to collect information about a Russian defence industry facility which is classified as a state secret,” the FSB claimed.

UPDATE 2
Meduza reports citing its source in the Western reporter circles that Evan Gershkovich in the course of his journalistic work travelled to Nizhny Tagil where the Uralvagonzavod defence industry facility is located.