Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow has irrefutable evidence that American journalist Evan Gershkovich was involved in espionage activities. His words are a guide TASS.
“The use of journalists for intelligence purposes is absolutely natural, at least in the Anglo-Saxon tradition,” said the head of Russian diplomacy.
According to Lavrov, the US and Russian intelligence services have been looking for candidates for a prisoner exchange since 2021, but “this topic does not like fuss, everyone knows that very well.”
“Such contacts do exist and have nothing to do with attacks on journalism,” the minister stressed.
Prior to this, the US Embassy in the Russian Federation in the name “Stop” using people like Gershkovitch and also charge spy Paul Whelan with being a “bargaining chip” and release them immediately.
On the morning of June 26, Wall Street Journal journalist Gershkovich delivered Sent to the Sverdlovsk Regional Court for the first hearing of the espionage case. Detained in Yekaterinburg on March 30, 2023. The man was charged with violation under Art. 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Espionage”), the maximum penalty for which is up to 20 years in prison.
According to the FSB, the reporter was collecting information about one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex that creates a state secret. On March 26, 2024, Gershkovich’s detention was extended until June 30.
Trump before promise If he wins the election, release Gershkovich.