The Foreign Ministry said that the exchange of Gershkovich can be discussed only after the trial

The issue of exchanging The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) journalist arrested in Russia on charges of espionage, Evan Gershkovich, can be considered only after a court verdict, said Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Ryabkov, writes TASS.

As a Russian diplomat told the agency, the special services of the two countries are dealing with possible exchanges between Gershkovich and American Paul Whelan convicted of espionage in Russia.

“The issue of exchanging anyone can be considered after the court issues its verdict specifically on a particular charge. Now to put these two characters on the same level, let’s say, even from a formal point of view, is wrong. As for the exchange, we have a special channel for this, the special services are engaged in this, and they will continue to deal with this issue,” Ryabkov said.

In addition, as noted by the diplomat, The Wall Street Journal is trying “day by day to escalate on this topic.”

Gershkovich was detained in Yekaterinburg on March 30. According to the FSB, the journalist collected secret information “about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex.” On the same day, the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov declaredthat the WSJ journalist was “caught red-handed”.

The WSJ denied the FSB accusations and demanded the immediate release of Gershkovich. The newspaper clarified that the journalist works in the Moscow office of the newspaper and covers events in Russia. On March 31, the WSJ called for the expulsion of all Russian journalists working in the US, as well as the Russian ambassador to the US. On this Peskov declaredthat Washington has no reason to expel them.

On March 30, Gershkovich was sent to a pre-trial detention center until May 29. April 7 FSB presented he is charged with espionage (Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The maximum punishment under this article provides for imprisonment for up to 20 years.

On April 11, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre reported that US President Joe Biden held the first conversation with Gershkovich’s relatives. “The president has made it clear that his national security team is focused on efforts to free Evan, as well as Paul Whelan,” she said.