A Yekaterinburg activist named Yaroslav Shirshikov was accused of justifying terrorism. The agency TASS reported that he was detained as a suspect, according to law enforcement sources. The case began after investigators cited a social media post in which Shirshikov allegedly supported or justified the terrorist attack that took place at a cafe in St. Petersburg, in which noted military commander Vladlen Tatarsky died.
Shirshikov claimed on his Telegram channel that he had given an interview to journalist Evan Gershkovich, who would later be arrested in a separate espionage case. The Moscow City Court has kept Gershkovich in custody. Because case materials are confidential, most of the proceedings were conducted behind closed doors.
The United States State Department publicly characterized Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia on spying charges, as being illegally held. President Joe Biden condemned the events and signaled that authorities hope for changes in the situation. Citing unnamed sources, the Wall Street Journal reported that Washington is open to creative solutions for a possible exchange of Americans and Russians. This development has been noted in ongoing coverage and analyses from major outlets and purposes of diplomacy, with further details appearing in related materials from press outlets.
In addition, readers should consider the broader context of how foreign journalists are treated in Russia and how such cases influence diplomatic relations and media freedom. The sequence of arrests and detentions underscores the sensitivity of investigations involving social media content, journalistic activity, and state security concerns across multiple jurisdictions.