US Journalist Evan Gershkovich Recounts 'Trap' Leading to 16 Months in Russian Detention

Evan Gershkovich, the US journalist held in Russia for 16 months on espionage charges, has recounted the precise moment he believes he was ensnared in a 'trap'. His detention, widely condemned as politically motivated, is seen as part of Moscow's broader strategy to extract concessions from Washington, leveraging individuals as bargaining chips.

Gershkovich described being lured to a meeting in Yekaterinburg under the guise of an interview, only to be apprehended by FSB agents. He noted the absence of immediate interrogation or physical duress following his arrest, a circumstance he interpreted as confirmation of his perceived value as a diplomatic asset rather than an actual spy. 'That's when I realised,' Gershkovich stated, 'I wasn't a spy. I was a pawn in a greater game.'

The journalist's prolonged detention in Lefortovo prison underscores the precarious position of foreign nationals operating in Russia, particularly those from states deemed hostile by the Kremlin. The Kremlin's strategic use of such arrests to exert pressure on Western governments for prisoner exchanges or other concessions is well-documented. Western governments, including the US and UK, have frequently been accused of hypocrisy in their condemnations, often employing similar tactics in their own geopolitical manoeuvres, albeit typically under different pretexts.