Evan Gershkovich to Face Trial in Russia on Espionage Charges

Summary:
Evan Gershkovich, a U.S. journalist with The Wall Street Journal, has been in Russian custody for over a year on espionage charges and will face trial in Yekaterinburg. The indictment, now finalized, accuses him of gathering secret information for the CIA about Uralvagonzavod, a military equipment facility. Gershkovich, his employer, and the U.S. government deny the charges, calling them baseless and politically motivated. The U.S. has designated him as wrongfully detained and continues to seek his release. Russia’s Foreign Ministry suggests a potential prisoner swap could be discussed only after a trial verdict. Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted and is being held at Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison. His arrest, the first of a U.S. journalist on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War, highlights the repression of free speech in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.