Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich Discusses Detention in Russia

Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, shared his experiences with Fox & Friends after being detained in Russia for over a year. He was freed in a significant prisoner swap in 2024. Gershkovich spoke about his experience documented in his book “This Cursed Beautiful Land” which details his arrest and detention.

Gershkovich and a colleague were investigating how Russia was transitioning its economy to support military operations. They were in communication with a source for four years, but a meeting turned out to be a trap. He described how the men arresting him belonged to the FSB, the successor of the Soviet KGB, which signified a high-level operation was in motion. He was blindfolded, questioned, and physically assaulted by security agents, realizing he was accused of espionage.

“When you hear FSB, it means a high-level planned operation,” Gershkovich reported.

Gershkovich felt scared when handed charges accusing him of espionage. The source, Pavel, revealed the setup meant for a swap. The U.S. government and the Wall Street Journal strongly denied the espionage allegation, condemning it as a hostage situation.

Despite delays, Gershkovich was convicted in a closed court for “gathering secret information” and sentenced to 16 years in a penal colony. The Wall Street Journal and the journalist community worked tirelessly for his release, highlighting his case globally.

During a conversation with host Brian Kilmeade, Gershkovich recounted hearing about efforts for a prisoner swap involving the U.S., Russia, and Germany. However, he learned of opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death, which dashed hopes of a deal at one point.

He recalled a bleak moment when hearing on the radio that Navalny had been killed, thinking it would hinder efforts to bring him back home.

In August 2024, Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan were released as part of a large multinational prisoner exchange.