Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea of expelling Russian journalists from the United States as a blatant misreading of the situation, following the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg. Peskov stressed that foreign correspondents with valid accreditation in Russia can and will continue their work without interference, reiterating that they do not face broad restrictions while operating within the law. He underscored that the matter at hand involves activities presented as journalism but suspected of espionage, a distinction he described as clear and attributable to specific conduct rather than a blanket ban on media workers.
According to the Kremlin, there is no justification for expelling all Russian journalists from the United States. The spokesman suggested that if any journalists violate the boundaries set by law, those violations should be addressed individually rather than by punitive moves against an entire nationality of reporters. The emphasis remained on safeguarding the rights of conscientious journalists while holding accountable those who infringe legal limits.
In parallel, court proceedings unfolded in Moscow’s Lefortovo Court, where Gershkovich was previously detained in Yekaterinburg under suspicion of espionage. The case, labeled top secret by authorities, has the journalist maintaining his innocence. State agencies allege that Gershkovich gathered information deemed a state secret concerning activities within a Russian military-industrial enterprise, a claim that has intensified international attention on press freedom and the treatment of foreign correspondents in high-stakes situations.
As events continued to develop, the United States government and media watchdogs closely scrutinized the process, while Russians and foreign observers balanced concerns about national security with the rights of journalists. The discussion centered on whether any broad actions against journalists from either country would be appropriate or effective, and whether legal norms sufficiently protected independent reporting in a tense geopolitical climate. The conversation highlighted the ongoing tension between state secrecy and the public interest in reporting on sensitive topics, as well as the critical need for transparent legal procedures and fair treatment of reporters regardless of nationality.