Support The Moscow Times!

U.S. Envoy to Russia Visited Detained Reporter Gershkovich

Yaroslav Chingaev / Moskva News Agency

U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy on Thursday visited Evan Gershkovich, the American Wall Street Journal reporter held in Moscow on espionage charges, the embassy said.

The 32-year-old was detained on a reporting trip to the Urals city of Yekaterinburg in March 2023, and is currently being held in Moscow's notorious Lefortovo prison.

"Evan remains resilient and grateful for the support of friends, family and supporters," the embassy said in a statement on social media. "We continue to call for Evan's immediate release."

Gershkovich, his employer and the U.S. government vehemently reject the spying charges, the first to be leveled against a foreign journalist since the Soviet era.

He is set to remain in custody until at least Jan. 30, pending a trial that could see him sentenced to 20 years imprisonment if found guilty.

President Vladimir Putin said in December he wanted Moscow and Washington to reach a "solution" to secure the reporter's release, but that talks were not straightforward.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more