From BBC News · · 1m 30s
Evan Gershkovich on Russian trap
Journalist Evan Gershkovich describes how he was lured into a spy trap by Russian FSB agents in 2023, leading to 16 months in prison before a swap deal freed him.
In brief
Journalist Evan Gershkovich describes how he was lured into a spy trap by Russian FSB agents in 2023, leading to 16 months in prison before a swap deal freed him. US journalist Evan Gershkovich was falsely accused of espionage by Russia in 2023, detained for 16 months before being freed in an August 2024 prisoner…
Quick answers
- Return to Russia?
- Gershkovich hopes to return to Russia one day but says it's unclear if the next government will be better than Putin's.
- What is the key takeaway from Evan Gershkovich on Russian trap?
- US journalist Evan Gershkovich was falsely accused of espionage by Russia in 2023, detained for 16 months before being freed in an August 2024 prisoner swap.
Evan Gershkovich
US journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested by Russian FSB agents in 2023 after meeting a man he thought was a source in Yekaterinburg.
“I'm not interrogated, I'm not tortured… I'm accused of espionage”
The trap
Gershkovich said masked men surrounded him at a restaurant in Yekaterinburg, claiming they 'booked that table' and detained him.
“They marched in and said 'I think we booked that table'”
False charges
Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in prison but freed 16 months later in a prisoner swap deal involving Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov.
“They [Moscow] got away with it in the sense that there were no sanctions imposed”
Lefortovo jail
Gershkovich was held in Moscow's Lefortovo jail, which has held political prisoners and dissidents since the Stalin era.
“It's a really isolating experience”
Smiling defiance
Gershkovich smiled at cameras during court appearances to show he was not being tortured and was a pawn in Moscow's game.
“We know this is a fabricated case, so if this is a game of theatre, let's not let [Moscow] have it play out the way they want”
Prisoner swap
Gershkovich was freed on 1 August 2024 in a swap deal with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“It was a moment of pure joy”
Aftermath
Gershkovich faced panic attacks and sleep issues after his release, but has seen therapists for post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I wasn't sleeping, suffered panic attacks in large crowds”
Return to Russia?
Gershkovich hopes to return to Russia one day but says it's unclear if the next government will be better than Putin's.
“I would hope to get back one day, but we'll have to see what comes after Putin”
The short version
US journalist Evan Gershkovich was falsely accused of espionage by Russia in 2023, detained for 16 months before being freed in an August 2024 prisoner swap.
